Erdeljanka (, ) Page 1 of 2

Translation: Transylvanian-like

Source: John Filcić, Steve Kotansky

Music Source: Folk Dancer MH-1003

Filcić: Couples, long-ways; the men are in one line facing the women in another line. Partners hold hands across, but below the hips. Positions: Kotansky: Couples, face to face, scattered around the dance floor. Both hands joined low and straight across with ptr.

Footwork: “Malo Kolo” step, hop-step-step, ??

Meter: 2/4 or 4/4

Pronunciation: Ehr’-dell-YAHN-kah

Background: Filcić: This couple dance comes from the Banat region, part of which is in , and part in Romania, and is done both by the Serbians and in that region. In being a crossways line dance Romanian influence is seen, but the steps described here are more typical of the kolo. The dance is comprised of patterns and variations based on the kolo steps.

Kotansky: This dance is from the Banat region of and takes its name from the Romanian dance Ardeleana. The second step of the dance begins to approach the syncopated nature of many of the Ardeleana and invartita type of dances popular in the Romanian Banat and (in , called Erdely). Source: Dobrivoje Putnilc, Desanka Djordevid, seminars in former Jugoslavia and Hungary.

PATTERN

Part 1 – Basic Malo Kolo Step Measure Count Movement 1 1 Hop on L ft moving to R (facing and moving to R) & Step on R ft to R 2 Step on L ft to R & Hold 2 1 Step on R ft to R & Hold 2 Hop on R ft & Hold Pattern: Hop-Step-Step, Step-Hop or HSS, SH 3-4 Repeat, reversing footwork and direction

Notes by Paul Collins Materials From John Filcić, Steve Kotansky and Dick Crum 34th Annual Door County Folk Festival (DCFF), Wisconsin, 2013 Erdeljanka (Banat, Vojvodina) Page 2 of 2

Part 2 – Hop-Step-Step Measure Count Movement 1 1 Kotansky – from 1997 Stockton Sullaybus: Moving to a closed, rounded shoulder-blade to shoulder-blade hold w/partner: Hop on L ft moving CCW to R & Step R to around to R 2 2 Step L around to R & Hold 3-7 Repeat measures 1-2 six more times 8 1&2& Bounce-Bounce Repeat Measures 1-8, reversing footwork and direction Pattern: HSS, HSS, HSS, HSS, HSS, HSS, HSS, Bounce-Bounce

Filcić – from 1953 Stockton Sullaybus: Hop on L ft moving CW to L [awkward, but…] & Step R to around to L 3 1 Step L around to L & Hold 2 Step on L ft next to L (relatively in place) & Hold 3-7 Repeat measures 1-2 six more times 8 1&2& Bounce-Bounce Repeat Measures 1-8, reversing footwork and direction Pattern: HSS, HSS, HSS, HSS, HSS, HSS, HSS, Bounce-Bounce

NOTE 1: Filcić goes on to describe several other variations to the dance. However, it is interesting that the two instructors describe the HSS turn in opposite directions. Filcić is not specific on which foot to start, but the HSS but he describes the turn as CW while Kotansky says CCW starting with a hop on the L.

NOTE 2: It probably would not have mattered (to the dancers who did this) which way one turned or which foot one used first as it may have been a matter of style, preference and/or convenience. I’ve not seen many do this dance for years and when I did, they turned CCW and only did the two variations described here.

NOTE 3: Note the name Erdeljanka (Hungarian Erdelyi means Transylvania) and the similarity of this tune to the Hungarian song Kanásztánc (swineherd’s dance) from Karád (a.k.a. Karádi Kanásztánc).

Notes by Paul Collins Materials From John Filcić, Steve Kotansky and Dick Crum 34th Annual Door County Folk Festival (DCFF), Wisconsin, 2013