Hora Miresii – Romania [Nicolaas Hilferink*, Theodor Vasilescu*]
Hora Miresii or Miresei translates as “bride’s dance.” Bride’s dances are a continuing tradition in Romania, but they of simpler form than this choreography for recreational folk dancers. The song, Gată-ți Fată Iăduta, however, is indeed a Romanian song about a girl preparing for her wedding. She will then leave her girl clothes and mother behind and take on a new life with her husband’s family, away from her childhood home, as a wife.
Be sure to read Don’s notes about actual Romanian bride’s dances and the broader category of wedding dances.
Lyrics
Lyrics from various sourcesGată-ți, fată, lăduta, măi, Că meri dă la măicuța, măi. Oi n-am şi da ler mireasă. Gată-ți, fată, poalile, măi, Nu cătana armile, măi. Oi n-am şi da ler mireasă. Gată-ți, fată, hainile, măi, Că meri cum cătanile, măi. Oi n-am şi da ler mireasă. Peste munți la alte curți, măi, La părinți necunoscuți, măi. Oi n-am şi da ler mireasă. Leşi, măicuta, pîn-afară, Şi pune proptă la soare. Oi n-am şi da ler mireasă. Să fie zîua mai mare, Să mai stau cu dumnetale. Oi n-am şi da ler mireasă.Pack your suitcase, girl, Because you leave your mother. Daughter, you have to fix the seam of your dress, Don't try to find another husband. Your maiden clothes must stay here, Because you will stand on your own feet now. Over the mountains to other farms, To unknown parents [in law]. Come, mother, out of the house, And beg the sun not to go down, So that the day will be longer And we can stay longer.
The Dance
There are two and a half variants of this dance: the original Romanian from Theodor Vasilescu and the one widely taught in USA by Nicolaas Hilferink. While the steps are the same, the hand hold and sequencing are not compatible! I’ve read several accounts of folk dance instructors having separate versions that they insist are “the right way.” Because this dance is most likely a creation choreographed just for folk dancers and not brides, discussion of authenticity is mooted, as you will not find any village in Romania dancing it the “authentic” way. Nico also learned Joc de Leagăne from Theodor Vasilescu and taught it throughout USA, and, of course, Theodor Vasilescu came over and said everyone was “doing it all wrong.” However, the differences are nearly imperceptible to the average folk dancer, who knows that in the next village over, someone will be saying that both of those versions are “all wrong.”
Nicolaas Hilferink Version: Escort hold; Sequence: (Part I, Part II) x 3
Theodor Vasilescu Version (from the video): V hold; Sequence: Part I & Part II; Mirror-Image of Part I & Part II; Normal I & II. Note that the final of the four “step-across-behind” steps of Part II is replaced by a R across in front and L close with a touch, so you are ready to start in RLOD on the L.
Dunav & Andy Bettis Version: W hold; Sequence: Follows Vasilescu’s sequence half way: (Part I, Part II, Mirror of Part I) x 2