Damul
(Romania)

[Full notes] [Summary notes] [Other dances & the source code]

Alternative Names 'Damul' was the name I have mostly come across it called.
'Damu' is the name used by Timisul (the same as 'Damul' but without the definite article).
'Damn All' is a punning English joke name.
Formation Circle. V-hold.
Dance Structure (Ax4 + Bx4 + Cx4 + Dx2) repeated throughout the music.
Music Structure 4 counts/bar, 4 bar phrases, distinct music for each part.
Music Speed 130 counts/min accelerating to 160 counts/min.
Source Core version here is from Sally Fletcher in Ipswich, UK, circa 2001, who learnt it from Hugh Spriggs who learnt it probably in the late 1980s. Alternative version 1 was verbally from Frances Horrocks in 2013 who learnt it from Fiona Howarth who learn it at the Billingham Festival decades before. Alternative version 2 from Nicolae Stănescu in the Timisul SIFD day course in London, UK, on 2008/11/2.

Disclaimer: Mistakes are quite likely in the notes and no guarantees are made as to accuracy. There may be other versions of the same dance or other dances with the same name. Music may differ, particularly in speed, introduction and duration, between performers. The division into parts, bars & counts might not be standard. These notes of the dance are freely distributable (under GPL or CC-by-sa) in so much as the note's author's contribution but the choreography and/or collection were by other people and so their copyright might apply to the dance itself. Better than using notes, go to a dance class where it is taught.

A fast (and accelerating) energetic Romanian dance which has long been well known in the UK Balkan dance repertoire (in various versions). Although it has 4 sections, none are difficult in the steps, all fit the music and the music is distinct for each part. The main catch is in the relentless energy & increasing speed.

The 130 to 160 counts/min is the speed range of the original music I learnt it too. It went through the sequence 3 times. I have also taught the dance to music altered to go through 5 times and reaching 215 counts/min, which is somewhat difficult to keep up with in Part D, for humorous effect as the last dance before an interval in a session of mostly slow dances.

The version I learnt (Fletcher) as common in the UK & which I've mostly done is the main one described below. However the information propagation route for that included a Sacred/Circle Dance teacher (Spriggs) to whom it possibly came via the UK Circle Dance network in which details are typically less accurately preserved than in the UK International Folk Dance network whereas the first alternative version was vouched for from a UK authority (Horrocks) in the latter so the styling, which is even more energetic, might be more precise. The second alternative version I learnt directly a Romanian dance teacher (Stănescu) but it is more different from either of those (sequence not just styling) than those are from eachother. That does not necessarily mean any of them are wrong as the styling differences could be authentic personal, regional or changes in the dance over the 20 years between versions coming to the UK.

Style: Upright, bouncy & frantic.

Introduction

One full set of Part C music (8 bars).

Part A

Summary: R side, L close, R side & R hop with L kick. Mirror.

Start Facing the centre of the circle.
1
1 R to the side.
2 L close.
3 R to the side.
4 Hop on the R kicking L foot down forwards in a pushing motion with heel down (a spade digging motion).
2 Repeat bar 1 in mirror image (L side, R close, L side, L hop).

I sometimes ham this up by doing L across behind on count 2 so as to travel further, flick the lower leg up behind whilst doing so and/or do the steps in counts 1-3 running.

Part B

Summary: Touch R toes across, toes side & heel infront. Ditto L.

Start Facing the centre of the circle.
1
1 Touch toes of R foot to the floor across infront with foot pointed with weight remaining on L leg.
2 Repeat count 1 but with the R foot to the side infront.
3 Touch heel of R foot to the floor infront with weight remaining on L leg.
4 R close.
2 Repeat bar 1 in mirror image (L touch toes across, touch toes side, touch heel infront, close).

Optionally, to make it even more energetic, do it with a hop on the supporting leg on each count.

Part C

Summary: Brush (optionally hopping) R forwards & backwards. R then L tightly across behind.

Start Facing the centre of the circle. Weight on L leg with R raised behind.
1
1-2 Swing R leg forwards brushing the floor with the R foot next to the L foot on the way ending with R foot raised infront. L hop on count 1 during the brush.
3-4 Reverse counts 1-2 (brush R backwards with L hop).
2
1-2 R across behind to close to the left foot on its left side and level with it (this will need either a hop on the L leg or a flexing of the L knee to prevent travelling backwards).
3-4 Repeat counts 1-2 in mirror image (L across behind to close to R foot on its R side).

It can be done without the hops, in which case this Part becomes a relatively unenergetic rest in the dance.

Unlike other parts, it does not repeat in mirror image.

Part D

Summary: Pas de Basque R. Mirror. Step R & L. Pas de Basque R. Mirror all.

Start Facing the centre of the circle.
1
1 Leap R onto R foot turning to face slightly cw of the direction to centre of the circle.
2 Close L to R foot.
& Transfer weight back onto R foot in place. (This with the preceding 2 steps comprises one Pas de Basque done in a slow-quick-quick rhythm.)
3-4& Repeat counts 1-2& in mirror image (Pas de Basque L).
2
1 R to the side.
2 L in place.
3-4& Repeat bar 1 counts 1-2& (Pas de Basque R).
3-4 Repeat bars 1-2 in mirror image (Pas de Basque L, Pas de Basque R, L side, R in place, Pas de Basque L).

Unlike other parts, it is only done 2 not 4 times as it takes twice as many counts.

These are small flat footed Pas de Basques not high legged Scottish ones (I find it very tempting to do big Scottish ones when the music is not fast but they are not traditional in this dance).

Alternative Version 1

Summary: In Part C instead of across feet behind, step back & chug forwards. In Part D do the Pas de Basques as forward, in place & close, and kick free foot forwards in side steps.

The version told to me by Francis Horrocks (after I'd lead the 'common' one at Balkanplus in London) was similar but with a chug motion instead of swing the leg across behind in Part C, the hops in Part C not being optional and extra kicks in Part D. Together these removed all the resting places in the dance! Also the Pas de Basques were in a different direction to both the common version & the other alternative version.

I.e. the leg swings across behind in Part C becomes:-

2
1 R step backwards.
2 R flat footed low (virtually skimming the floor) hop forwards (a forwards chug).
3-4 Repeat counts 1-2 in mirror image (L backwards, L chug forwards).

And Part D becomes:-

1
1 Leap R forwards.
2 L in places.
& R close.
3-4& Repeat counts 1-2& in mirror image (L Pas de Basque infront & return).
2
1-2& Repeat bar 1 counts 1-2& (R Pas de Basque infront & return).
3 Leap close R while kicking L infront.
4 Leap close L while kicking R infront (mirroring count 3).
3-4 Repeat bars 1-2 in mirror image (Pas de Basque infront & return; ditto R; ditto L; leap close R while kicking L infront, mirror).

Alternative Version 2

Summary: In Part C touch R across infront before swinging behind. In Part D do the Pas de Basques crossing, do the 3 of them together before the side steps & lift in side steps.

The version taught by Nicolae Stănescu of Timisul dance ensemble from Timisoarsa in Romanian was almost the same as the version common in the UK repertoire. Parts A & B were as the same the common version. Part C was as the common UK version other than that it had in addition a touch of the R foot toes to the ground close to the L of the L foot on count 3 of bar 1 (i.e. R leg swings initially close crossed over the L before going behind instead of just slowly going behind).

Part D was slightly different to the common version in both sequence (3 Pas de Basques then 2 steps in place rather than 2 Pas de Basques, the 2 steps & 1 more Pas de Basque) and style (it was more energetic with the Pas de Basques being crossing ones & the free leg lifting across in the steps in place) but closer to the common version than the 1st alternative version. I.e.

1
1 Leap R onto R foot turning to face slightly cw of the direction to centre of the circle.
2 L across infront.
& Transfer weight back onto R foot in place.
3-4& Repeat counts 1-2& in mirror image (Pas de Basque with crossing L).
2
1-2& Repeat bar 1 counts 1-2& (Pas de Basque with crossing R).
3 Leap onto L to the side raising R foot across infront (about 20 cm above the front of the L foot).
4 Leap onto R in place lifting R across infront (mirroring count 3).
3-4 Repeat bars 1-2 in mirror image (Pas de Basque with crossing L, ditto R, ditto L, L side R close lifting L, L in place lifting R).