Banatfolk

Romanian Folk Dance Seminar

Organized by Marius Ursu

The 14th edition
Timisoara, Romania
4th – 14th of July 2017

Come Join Us for 10 Memorable Days of Music, Dance, More ...

... in beautiful Timisoara, the capital of Banat, a town in the west part of Romania, also known as the town of roses.
Timisoara it was the first mainland European city to be lit by electric street lamps in 1884. It was also the second European and the first city in what is now Romania with horse drawn trams in 1867. Gustave Eiffel, the creator of the Eiffel Tower in Paris, drew the projects of one of Timisoara’s footbridges over the Bega. On December 20, 1989 was proclaimed the first city free of communism in Romania.

The Seminar Program includes:
Dance Lessons Maria and Marius Ursu, also master choreographers of the groups that will participate in The International Folk Festival “Festivalul Inimilor”
Watching the performances from The International Folk Festival “Festivalul Inimilor” (folk groups from 10 countries and more than 20 folk groups from Romania will take part: professional and from villages
Excursions to explore the beauty, rich history, and living traditions of Transylvania

We have a surprise for you:
We will prepare a choreographic suite from Banat, which we will present the closing show of The International Folk Festival “Festivalul Inimilor”

Plus ... Full Board, double accommodations in hotels and peasants' homes, cultural activities, excursions and transportation to all seminar activities. Single accommodation is available with surcharge.

Price:
• 780 euro. The fee includes the participation in all the activities mentioned above, the transfer from the Timisoara International Airport to the hotel
• 580 euro/person, for the persons that do not take part in the courses but take part in the other activities.
An additional 200 euro is required for a single room.

Schedule
Tuesday, July 4th, 2017
Transfer from the International Airport of Timisoara to hotel Central.

Hotel Central is located right in the heart of Timisoara, next to the Huniade Castle, and offers you air-conditioned accommodation with modern furniture and free Wi-Fi.
It has a restaurant serving typical Romanian and international cuisine.
http://www.booking.com/hotel/ro/central-timisoara.html

19,30 – 21,30 Dinner. Show with folk ensemble "Doina Timisului".

Wednesday, July 5th, 2017
08,30 – 09,30 Breakfast
10,00 – 12,30 Folk dance workshop
13,00 – 14,00 Lunch
15,00 – 17,00 Folk dance workshop
18,00 – 19,00 Dinner
19,00 – 23,00 Attending the extraordinary folk performance by the folk ensemble “Timisul”

Thursday, July 6th, 2017
08,30 – 09,30 Breakfast
10,00 – 12,30 Folk dance workshop
13,00 – 14,00 Lunch
15,00 – 17,00 Folk dance workshop
18,00 – Watching the Costume Parade of the groups taking part in the Festival of Hearts, followed by the Opening Ceremony
18,30 – 19,30 Dinner ( where the Festival takes place )
19,30 – 23,00 Attending the performances of the "The Festival of Hearts” ( Festival stage located in the Park of the Roses)

Friday, July 7th, 2017
08,30 – 09,30 Breakfast
10,00 – 12,30 Folk dance workshop
13,00 – 14,00 Lunch
15,00 – 17,00 Folk dance workshop
18,00 – 19,00 Dinner
19,00 – 23,00 Attending the performances of "The Festival of Hearts”

Saturday, July 8th, 2017
08,30 – 09,30 Breakfast
10,00 – 12,30 Folk workshop
13,30 – 14,30 Lunch
18,00 – 19,00 Dinner
19,00 – 23,00 Attending the performances of "The Festival of Hearts”

Sunday, July 9th, 2017
08,30 – 09,30 Breakfast
11,00 – 14,00 Visit to the Banat Village Museum

Banat Village Museum manages to make a thumbnail of Banat villages by building authentic wood, stone and clay houses made after the local model. Tourists attracted by the Banat culture can find household items used in the past centuries, can admire the architecture of the houses. These, though with 2 or 3 rooms, attract attention with guest rooms, known as "clean stove," big stove", being the most beautiful furnished and decorated with precious fabrics - towels, rugs, tablecloths once called "masaie".
http://www.muzeulsatuluibanatean.ro/

14,00 – 15,00 Lunch
16,00 – 17,00 Rehearsal of the choreography to be performed on the Festival stage
18,00 – 19,00 Dinner
20,00 – 22,00 Closing performance of "The Festival of Hearts” including performance of the choreographic suite learnt at the Seminar classes

Folk trip to Transylvania
Monday, July 10th, 2017
07.30 – 08.00 Breakfast
08.30 Departure to Hunedoara
Visit the Corvins’ Castle
13.00 – 14.00 Lunch
Visit the Deva Fortress
20.00 – 22,00 Dinner and dancing. Show with folk ensemble from Deva.

Corvin Castle, also known as Hunyadi Castle or Hunedoara Castle (Romanian: Castelul Huniazilor or Castelul Corvinilor; Hungarian: Vajdahunyadi vár), is a Gothic-Renaissance castle in Hunedoara, Romania. It is one of the largest castles in Europe and figures in a top of seven wonders of Romania. Corvin Castle was laid out in 1446, when construction began at the orders of John Hunyadi (Hungarian: Hunyadi János,Romanian: Iancu or Ioan de Hunedoara) who wanted to transform the former keep built by Charles I of Hungary. The castle was originally given to John Hunyadi's father, Voyk (Vajk), by Sigismund, king of Hungary, as severance in 1409. It was also in 1446 when John Hunyadi was elected as the regent-governor of the Kingdom of Hungary by the Diet.
The castle has 3 large areas: the Knight's Hall, the Diet Hall and the circular stairway. The halls are rectangular in shape and are decorated with marble. The Diet Hall was used for ceremonies or formal receptions whilst the Knight's Hall was used for feasts. In 1456, John Hunyadi died and work on the castle has stagnated. Starting with 1458, new commissions were being undergone to construct the Matia Wing of the castle. In 1480, work was completely stopped on the castle and it was recognised as being one of the biggest and most impressive buildings in Eastern Europe.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corvin_Castle

The Fortress of Deva (Romanian: Cetatea Devei, Hungarian: Déva vára) is a fortress located in the city of Deva, Hunedoara County, Romania, on top of a volcanic hill.The first evidence of the medieval Deva Fortress dates back to the second half of the 13th century; in 1269, Stephen V, King of Hungary and Duke of Transylvania, mentioned "the royal castle of Deva" in a privilege-grant for the Count Chyl of Kelling (Romanian: comitele Chyl din Câlnic).
The first records regarding a military operation involving the fortress dates from 1273. Under its walls, the Cumans were defeated by Peter I Csák, Palatine of Hungary (Latin: Magister Pertrus de genere Chak), who was rewarded for his victory by Ladislaus IV, King of Hungary. In his letter, Ladislaus IV mentioned the facts with the words: sub castro Dewa contra Cumanorum exercitur viriliter dimicavit.
At the end of the 13th century, the Deva Fortress was in the property of Ladislaus Kán, Voivode of Transylvania, who organized a court besides the military garrison.
The Fortress of Deva is central to the Hungarian folk tale The Wife of Clement.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fortress_of_Deva

Tuesday, July 11th, 2017
08,00 – 09,00 Breakfast
Visit the Sarmisegetuza Regia
13.00 – 14.00 Lunch.
16.00 – 18.00 Meeting with the group from Boita village
19.00 – 21.00 Dinner and dancing with folk ensemble from village

Sarmizegetusa Regia, also Sarmisegetusa, Sarmisegethusa, Sarmisegethuza, Zarmizegethoúsa or Zermizegethoúse, was the capital and the most important military, religious and political centre of the Dacians prior to the wars with the Roman Empire. Erected on top of a 1200 m high mountain, the fortress, comprising six citadels, was the core of a strategic defensive system in the Orastie Mountains (in present-day Romania).
Sarmizegetusa Regia should not be confused with Ulpia Traiana Sarmizegetusa, the Roman capital of Dacia built by Roman Emperor Trajan some 40 km away, which was not the Dacian capital. Sarmizegetusa Ulpia was discovered earlier, was known already in the early 1900s, and was initially mistaken for the Dacian capital, a confusion which led to incorrect conclusions being made regarding the military history and organization of the Dacians.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sarmizegetusa_Regia

Wednesday, July 12th, 2017
08,00 – 09,00 Breakfast
09.00 Departure to Alba Iulia
Visit the Citadel Alba Carolina
13.00 – 14.00 Lunch
16.00 – 18.00 Folk dance workshop
20.00 – 22.00 Dinner and dancing. Show with folk ensemble from Deva

Alba Iulia; German: Karlsburg or Carlsburg, formerly Weißenburg, Hungarian:Gyulafehérvár, Latin: Apulum, Ottoman Turkish: Erdel Belgradi or Belgrad-i Erdel) is a city located on the Mures River in Alba County, Transylvania, Romania, with a population of 63,536 as of 2011. Since the High Middle Ages, the city has been the seat of Transylvania's Roman Catholic diocese. Between 1541 and 1690 it was the capital of the Eastern Hungarian Kingdom and the latter Principality of Transylvania. Alba Iulia is historically important for Romanians, Hungarians and Transylvanian Saxons.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alba_Iulia

Thursday, July 13th, 2017
07,30 – 08,00 Breakfast
08,00 – Journey back to Timisoara, lunch
16,00 – 19,00 Folk workshop - rehearsal of all the dances that had been taught
20,00 – 22,00 Dinner - Music and dance with folk ensemble "Doina Timisului"

Friday, July 14th, 2017
08,30 – 09,00 Breakfast
Departure of the participants
Transfer from the hotel to Timisoara International Airport

Banatfolk organization reserves its right to change the program.