Hora is a type of circle dance originating in the Balkans but now found in a number of countries, most of which use slightly different spellings. Circle dance, is the most common name for a style of traditional dance usually done in a circle without partners to musical accompaniment The name is cognate to the Greek χορός : 'dance' which is cognate with the ancient Greek art form of χορεία; see Chorea. Greek (el ελληνική γλώσσα or simply el ελληνικά — "Hellenic" is an Indo-European language, spoken today by 15-22 million people mainly The Ancient Greek language is the historical stage in the development of the Hellenic language family spanning the Archaic (c Chorea (choreia khoreia χορεία is a Circle dance (χορεύω σε κύκλο accompanied by singing (see chorus, khoros known in Ancient Greece The original meaning of the Greek word χορός may have been 'circle'.
The Greek χορός is cognate with Bulgarian 'horo', Serbian 'kolo', Macedonian 'oro', the Turkish form 'hora' and Romanian 'horǎ' (having its roots in Iron Age; this gave later the Yiddish and Modern Hebrew 'hōrāh'.
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Hora in Romania and Moldova
Hora (pl. Dealul Spirii ( Spirii Hill, lit "Spirea's Hill" an antiquated version of the name is Dealul Spirei) is a hill in Bucharest, Romania Bucharest ( Romanian: Bucureşti) is the Capital city, industrial and commercial centre of Romania. hore) is a traditional Romanian folk dance that gathers everyone into a big closed circle. Romania ( dated: Rumania, Roumania Folk dance is a term used to describe a large number of dances mostly of European origin that tend to share the following attributes originally danced in about the The dancers hold each other's hands and the circle spins, usually clockwise, as each participant follows a sequence of three steps forward and one step back. The dance is usually accompanied by musical instruments such as the cymbalum, accordion, violin, viola, double bass, saxophone, trumpet or even the panflute. The cimbalom (most common English spelling is a concert Hammer dulcimer. The accordion is a portable box-shaped Musical instrument of the hand-held Bellows -driven free-reed aerophone family sometimes referred to as a Squeezebox The violin is a bowed String instrument with four strings usually tuned in Perfect fifths It is the smallest and highest-pitched member The viola is a bowed String instrument. It is the middle voice of the Violin family, The double bass is the largest and lowest-pitched bowed String instrument used in the modern symphony orchestra. The saxophone (commonly referred to simply as sax) is a conical- bored transposing Musical instrument considered a member of the Woodwind The pan flute or pan pipe (also known as panflute or panpipes) is an ancient Musical instrument based on the principle of the Closed
Hora is popular during wedding celebrations and festivals, and is an essential part of the social entertainment in rural areas. One of the most famous hore is the Hora Unirii (Hora of the Union), which became a Romanian patriotic song as a result of being the hymn when Wallachia and Moldavia united to form the Principality of Romania in 1859. This article is about the region in what is now Southern Romania Moldavia (Moldova is a geographic and historical region and former Principality in Eastern Europe, corresponding to the territory between Eastern Carpathians Romanian Principalities is a historical term designating the pre-modern principalities of Wallachia and Moldavia, which alongside Transylvania form During the 2006/2007 New Year's Eve celebration, when Romania and Bulgaria joined the European Union, people were dancing Hora Bucuriei (Hora of Joy) over the boulevards of Bucharest as a tribute to the EU anthem, Ode to Joy. The state of Bulgaria (България transliterated bg-Latn ''Balgaria'' The country preserves the traditions (in ethnic name language and alphabet of the First Bulgarian The European Union ( EU) is a political and economic union of twenty-seven member states, located primarily in Hora Bucuriei (The Hora of Joy is a song performed by Romanian pop artist Loredana in the Revolution Square of Bucharest, Romania’s capital during the first Bucharest ( Romanian: Bucureşti) is the Capital city, industrial and commercial centre of Romania. " To Joy " ( An die Freude in German, in English often familiarly called the Ode to Joy) is an Ode written in Some of the biggest hora circles can be found on early 20th century movies filmed by the Manakia brothers in Pindus, Greece and performed by local Aromanians. This article is about the mountain range called Pindus for other uses of these names see Pindus (disambiguation The Pindus (Πίνδος Greece (Ελλάδα transliterated: Elláda, historically, Ellás,) officially the Hellenic Republic (Ελληνική Δημοκρατία Aromanians (or Macedo-Rumans; in Aromanian they call themselves Armãnji, Rrãmãnji) are a people living throughout the southern Balkans
Variants:
Horo in Bulgaria
The traditional Bulgarian dance horo comes in many shapes. Periniţa is a Wedding party Folk dance, typical of and deriving from Romania and Moldova. The state of Bulgaria (България transliterated bg-Latn ''Balgaria'' The country preserves the traditions (in ethnic name language and alphabet of the First Bulgarian Bulgarian folk dances are intimately related to the Music of Bulgaria. It is not necessary to be in a circle, a curving line of people is also acceptable. The steps used in a horo dance are extremely diverse and not just two or three steps forward and one step back. The horo may vary between three to seven or eight steps forward and one to five or six steps back depending on the specific type.
There are more than five types of horo that are usually danced at every wedding. They differ by the rhythm of the music and the steps taken. There are no two horo dances with similar steps. There are probably over one hundred types of horo dances in the Bulgarian folklore.
In the past, the horo dance had a social role in Bulgarian society. It was mainly for fun, as a contest of skills, or for the show, leading to the development of the variety of horo dances. There are hora for people with little skill that can be learned in five to ten minutes, but there are also very sophisticated dances that cannot be learned unless one is fluent in many of the simpler dances.
Oro in Montenegro
A similar dance, the Oro (Cyrillic: Opo), is popular in Montenegro. The Cyrillic alphabet (səˈrɪlɪk also called azbuka, from the old name of the first two letters is actually a family of Alphabets, subsets of which are used by Montenegro ( British English) Montenegrin / Serbian: PLEASE DO NOT CHANGE THE LANGUAGES WITHOUT CONSENSUS ON THE TALK PAGE! It starts with participants dancing in circles to a gusle, and ends with dancers standing on other dancers' shoulders and a toast from the head of the household. The gusle or gusla (гусле gusle, lahuta гусла is a single- stringed musical instrument used in the Balkans and in the Dinarides People consider it to be an "eagle-dance" (in Montenegrin vernaculars usual pronunciation for Serbian orao "eagle" is oro). That's why oro is considered the dance of the brave ones and danced only by men. But Dalmatians have the slight different version (mostly serbs). They have a silent oro, just dance, no instuments or vocals, just ojha.
Gypsy oro
The Oro is also popular among the Roma people of Eastern Europe, and the dancing is practically the same as the one of the neighbouring ethnicities. The Romani people (singular Rom, plural Roma as a Noun; also known as Romanies or Roma people) are an ethnic group with origins Gypsy oros, and Romani music in general, are very well apreciated among non gypsies in the Balkans and Romania. Gypsy (sometimes spelled Gipsy, Gipsey) is a word used to name as a Blanket term, various unrelated ethnic groups or persons fitting the Gypsy Stereotypes Typically nomadic the Roma people have long acted as wandering entertainers and tradesmen
The Hora in Klezmer music
The Hora in klezmer music is the same as the traditional Romanian dance. See also Secular Jewish music Klezmer (from Yiddish כּלי־זמיר kley - instrument and zemer - song etymologically from It has a slow, limping gait in 3/8 time and often leads into a faster and more upbeat freyklakh or bulgar. [1]
Jewish/Israeli Horah
A different dance, also called the Horah is the most popular of Jewish folk dances/Israeli folk dances. Jewish music, the music of Jews, is quite diverse and dates back thousands of years Jewish music, the music of Jews, is quite diverse and dates back thousands of years This article is about the sacred and religious music of Judaism from Biblical to Modern times This article is about the sacred and religious music of Judaism from Biblical to Modern times This article is about contemporary Jewish religious music For the main article on religious Jewish music see Religious Jewish music. See also Religious Jewish music A piyyut (plural piyyutim, Hebrew פיוט pijút and) is a Jewish liturgical poem usually designated Zemirot (זמירות (singular zemer) are Jewish hymns usually sung in the Hebrew or Aramaic languages but sometimes also in Yiddish This article is about a type of Jewish religious music Nigun For the main article on religious Jewish music see Religious Jewish music. See also Religious Jewish music Pizmonim ( Hebrew פזמונים singular pizmon) are traditional Jewish songs and melodies This article is about a type of Jewish religious music Baqashot See Secular Jewish culture for the main article on secular Jewish culture The music of Israel is a unique combination of Jewish and non-Jewish music traditions that have come together over the course of a century to create a distinctive musical The music of Israel is a unique combination of Jewish and non-Jewish music traditions that have come together over the course of a century to create a distinctive musical See also Secular Jewish music Klezmer (from Yiddish כּלי־זמיר kley - instrument and zemer - song etymologically from This article is about the music of the Sephardic Jews For the main article on secular Jewish music see Secular Jewish music. This article is about the music of the Mizrahi Jews For the main article on secular Jewish music see Secular Jewish music. See Secular Jewish culture for the main article on secular Jewish culture See Secular Jewish culture for the main article on secular Jewish culture See Secular Jewish culture for the main article on secular Jewish culture See Secular Jewish culture for the main article on secular Jewish culture This article is about Israeli folk dancing For the main article on Jewish dance see Jewish dance. See Secular Jewish culture for the main article on secular Jewish culture Hora is a type of Circle dance originating in the Balkans but now found in a number of countries most of which use slightly different spellings "Hava Nagila" ( הבה נגילה in Hebrew) is a Hebrew Folk song, the title meaning "Let us rejoice" In Yemen, where Jews were banned from dancing publicly forms of dance evolved that are based on stationary hopping and posturing such as can be done in a confined space The music of Israel is a unique combination of Jewish and non-Jewish music traditions that have come together over the course of a century to create a distinctive musical For the political party see Hatikva (political party. For the Tel Aviv neighbourhood see Hatikva Quarter. " Jerusalem of Gold " (ירושלים של זהב Yerushalayim Shel Zahav) is a popular Israeli Song written by Naomi Shemer in 1967 See also Religious Jewish music A piyyut (plural piyyutim, Hebrew פיוט pijút and) is a Jewish liturgical poem usually designated Adon Olam ( אֲדוֹן עוֹלָם; "Lord of the World" is one of the few strictly metrical hymns in the Jewish liturgy, the nobility of the diction of Geshem (גשם is one of the Hebrew words for " Rain," applied mostly to the heavy rains which occur in Israel in the fall and winter Lekhah Dodi ( Hebrew: לכה דודי also transliterated as Lecha Dodi, L'chah Dodi, Lekah Dodi, "Ma'oz Tzur" (מעוז צור is a Jewish liturgical poem or Piyyut. Yedid Nefesh ( Hebrew: יְדִיד נֶפֶשׂ y’did nefesh) is the title of a Piyyut. Yigdal ( יִגְדָּל; yighdāl, or יִגְדַּל; yighdal; means " Magnify Living God" is a Jewish Hanukkah music (or Chanukah music) (שירי חנוכה contains several songs associated with the festival of Chanukah. Passover songs are songs traditionally associated with the end of the seder, the festive meal associated with the Jewish festival of Passover. Zemirot (זמירות (singular zemer) are Jewish hymns usually sung in the Hebrew or Aramaic languages but sometimes also in Yiddish Passover songs are songs traditionally associated with the end of the seder, the festive meal associated with the Jewish festival of Passover. Ma Nishtana (מה נשתנה are the four questions sung during the Passover seder See also Passover songs Dayenu ( Hebrew: is a song that is part of the Jewish holiday of Passover. See also Passover songs Adir Hu (English Mighty is He Hebrew אדיר הוּא is a hymn sung by Jews worldwide at the Passover Seder. See also Passover songs Chad Gadya ( Aramaic: חַד גַדְיָה chad gadya, "one little goat or "one kid" Hebrew: See also Passover songs Echad Mi Yodea ( Yiddish: Man'dabar uma n'sapar) ( Hebrew: אחד מי יודע echad mi yodea) (Who Hanukkah music (or Chanukah music) (שירי חנוכה contains several songs associated with the festival of Chanukah. Hanukkah music (or Chanukah music) (שירי חנוכה contains several songs associated with the festival of Chanukah. See also Hanukkah music Oh Chanukah (also Chanukah Oh Chanukah) is an English version of the Yiddish Oy Chanukah (חנוכּה אױ חנוכּה See also Hanukkah music I Have a Little Dreidel (also known as the Dreidel song) and Samuel Goldfarb (also S Hanukkah music (or Chanukah music) (שירי חנוכה contains several songs associated with the festival of Chanukah. Hanukkah music (or Chanukah music) (שירי חנוכה contains several songs associated with the festival of Chanukah. Hanukkah music (or Chanukah music) (שירי חנוכה contains several songs associated with the festival of Chanukah. This article is about Israeli folk dancing For the main article on Jewish dance see Jewish dance. It is usually performed to Jewish folk songs/Israeli folk songs, typically to the music of Hava Nagila. The music of Israel is a unique combination of Jewish and non-Jewish music traditions that have come together over the course of a century to create a distinctive musical "Hava Nagila" ( הבה נגילה in Hebrew) is a Hebrew Folk song, the title meaning "Let us rejoice"
To start the dance, everybody forms a circle, holding hands, and steps forward toward the right with the left foot, then follows with the right foot. The left foot is then brought back, followed by the right foot. This is done while holding hands and circling together in a fast and cheerful motion to the right. Large groups allow for the creation of several concentric circles. Concentric objects share the same center, axis or origin with one inside the other
In the early days, Horah was popular mainly in the Kibbutzim and small communities. A kibbutz ( Hebrew: קיבוץ קִבּוּץ lit "gathering clustering" plural kibbutzim) is a collective community in Later it became a must in weddings, celebrations and group dances throughout Israel. At b'nei mitzvah, it is custom to raise the honoree and his or her family members on a chair during the horah. This is also often done at Jewish weddings.
Horah has also been danced for many generations by Jews in the United States and Canada at weddings, bar mitzvahs, bat mitzvahs, and other parties and joyous ceremonies. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Country to "Dominion of Canada" or "Canadian Federation" or anything else please read the Talk Page In Judaism, Bar Mitzvah ( Hebrew: בר מצוה "one (m to whom the commandments apply" Bat Mitzvah (בת מצוה "one (f In Judaism, Bar Mitzvah ( Hebrew: בר מצוה "one (m to whom the commandments apply" Bat Mitzvah (בת מצוה "one (f The dance appeared in North America in the early 20th century, well before modern Israeli independence, brought directly from Eastern Europe by Jewish immigrants.
See also
- Circle dance
- Round dance
- Bulgarian dances, details for specific Bulgarian folk dances
- Dabke, a Middle Eastern line dance
- Halay, a Middle Eastern dance
- Hasapiko, a Greek folk dance
- Khorovod, an Eastern European circle dance
- Kolo, a Serbo-Croatian circle dance
References
External links
- The history of sacred dances: Choros, Hora, Calusul and Morris dance
- How to dance the Hora
- Hora Music, how do you dance the Hora in Israel - Lyrics to Hava Nagila
- A history of Jewish Hora (in Romanian, written by Romanian Jews)
- Description and history of Romanian Hora (in French)
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