Zile is a Romanian-Romani-style solo dance choreographed by Maurits van Geel to the Romanian Manele pop tune “Zile de La mine dau” aka “Dau pentru tine totul, iubire” performed by Nicolae Guță. Van Geel arranged the dance for the Roma dance program production “Travelers from Rajasthan,” performed by the International Dance Theatre in The Netherlands (1994 & 2003). The steps are based on research he did of Romani people in preparation for the show. Roma are thought to have originated in Indian subcontinent around Rajasthan.
| Dance Name: | Zile |
| Pronunciation: | ZEE-lay |
| Translation: | Days [I give days of my life] (Zile de la mine dau) |
| Country (Style of): | Romania |
| Ethnicity: | Romani |
| Music Genre: | Manele (Romanian pop folk) |
| Choreographer: | Maurits van Geel |
| Year: | 1994, 2003 |
| Dance Type: | Solo Circle: Individuals in a circle |
| Dance Category: | Modern RIFD |
| Folk Status: | Performance Adaptation |
| Skill Level: | Easy |
| Energy Intensity: | Moderate |
| Tune/Song: | “Zile de la mine dau” sung by Nicolae Guță aka: “Dau pentru tine totul, iubire” |
| Words & Music: | Marius de la Focsani |
| Time Signature: | 2/4 |
| Dancer Formation: | Solo dancers in a circle, line, or random |
| Hand Hold: | No hold; freestyle arm movements, finger snaps, etc. |
| Leads to: | R w/ R toe |
| Date Taught: | 11/19/2024 |
| Teacher: | Cherie |
| Published: | November 17, 2024 |
| Updated: | April 29, 2025 |
Nicolae Guță
Nicolae Guță was born in Petroșani, Hunedoara, (Transylvania) Romania in 1967. Guță pursued and pioneered the modernized form of the Romanian/Romani/Balkan pop folk music genre manele, introducing Western elements of pop, hip hop, and electronica. Roma have embraced manele as a modern sub-genre of the traditional folk music that had been played on classical instruments for dancing. The electronic instruments and driving beats are much more at home in a modern dance club scene than would be the traditional Romani taraf live music ensemble.
Dancing Examples
A proprietary demo video by van Geel is available for Tuesday Night Folk Dancers to access here.
More of the same music: “Zile de La mine dau” aka “Dau pentru tine totul, iubire” performed by Nicolae Guță
Lyrics to “Zile de la mine dau” aka “Dau pentru tine totul, iubire”
Original Romanian from LyricsTranslate.com; English by Google and me.Dau pentru tine totul, iubire,
Viața, viața!
Atât cât m-o ține pământul pe mine,
Ești viața mea!
Viața mea, viața mea, esti viața mea,
S-audă toată lumea, viața mea!
Chorus: (x2)
/ Zile de la mine dau,
Zile, zile dau
În inima ta să stau,
Altceva mai mult nu vreau. /
Ești o avere, ești o comoară
Rară, rară,
Iubirea noastră-n veci n-o să moară,
Nu!
Comoara mea, să știe toata lumea
Că tu ești comoara mea
chorus (x4 total)I give everything for you, love,
Life, life!
As long as the earth holds me,
you are my life!
My life, my life, you are my life
Let everyone hear my life!
Chorus: (x2)
/ Days of my life I give,
Days, I give
In your heart to stand,
Something else more I don't want /
You are a fortune, you are a treasure
rare, rare,
Our love will never die,
Not!
My treasure, let everyone know
That you are my treasure
chorus (x4 total)