The Society of Folk Dance Historians
Alunelu(l)
Other Alunelu documents
a dance
From: Ron Houston. Folk Dance Problem Solver (1987). Austin, Texas: Society of Folk Dance Historians, 1987.
(a-loo-NEH-loo) = (the) little hazelnut
OTHER NAMES:
Alunelul Comun. Alunelul Cunoscut. The 5-3-1 Dance.
BACKGROUND:
Originally from Oltenia, a region in southwest Romania, Alunelul entered the Romanian school system curriculum in the early 20th century and spread country-wide. Larisa Lucaci taught it to the US in 1955; thence it spread worldwide. Being the generic name of a huge and disconnected family of dances, "alunelu" probably has nothing to do with the subfamily of birches, Betulaceae, commonly called hazelnuts, cobnuts, filberts, or (noix de) Philibert, named for a Frankish abbot and then saint who died in A.D. 684.
FORMATION:
Circle, your hands on your neighbors' nearer shoulders.
| BARS | ACTION |
| 4/4 | Introduction. |
| 1-2 | No action. One version has 4 bars, one has 6. You'll work it out. |
| 1. Fives. | |
| 1 | Step to R onto R ft (ct 1), step behind R ft onto L ft (ct 2); repeat (cts 3,4). |
| 2 | Step to R onto R ft (ct 1), stamp twice beside R ft with L ft, no weight (cts 2,3). |
| 3-4 | = 1-2 with opposite footwork and direction. |
| 5-8 | = 1-4. |
Note: some say this dance represents the cracking of hazelnuts. Not likely! My dictionary says hazelnuts are a smooth-shelled edible nut enclosed in a leafy husk. Stamp on one and you indeed would have little hazelnuts.
| 2. Threes. | |
| 1 | Step to R onto R ft (ct 1), step behind R ft onto L ft (ct 2), step to R onto R ft (ct 3), stamp beside R ft with L ft, no weight (ct 4). |
| 2 | = 1 with opposite footwork and direction. |
| 3-4 | = 1-2. |
| 3. Ones. | |
| 1 | Step to R onto R ft (ct 1), stamp beside R ft with L ft, no weight (ct 2), repeat to L (cts 3,4). |
| 2 | Step to R onto R ft (ct 1), stamp twice beside R ft with L ft, no weight (cts 2,3). |
| 3-4 | = 1-2. |
| Alunelu, alunelu, hai la joc, sa ne fie, sa ne fie cu noroc. 2X | Hazelnut, hazelnut, come let's dance and be happy. |
| Cine-n hora o sa joace, mare, mare se va face. | He (or she) who dances will grow strong and tall, |
| Cine n'o juca de fel, va ramine mititel. | He (or she) who doesn't will stay tiny and small. |
| Alunelu, ... Joaca, joaca tot pe loc sa rasara busuioc, | Hazelnut, ... Dance, oh dance on this spot until the grass grows, |
| joaca, joaca tot asa, joaca si nu te lasa. | dance, oh dance, never stop or slow down. |
End of ALUNELUL.