The "Hora"

As previously mentioned, the "hora" is a circle dance where participants are all dancing the same steps while holding hands. The music and choreography of the "hora" differs from culture to culture, and even in Romania, there are multiple variations of the "hora" depending on the region you find yourself in. As I'm focusing on the Banat region, I've attached a video of the typical "hora" that is performed. Even in Banat, there are several different variations on the similar theme that depend on which type of music is being played. One of the most common ones is the one depicted in the video below. For most "hora" dances, there is typically a vocalist that is leading the melody. They will usually perform on a stage if it is available, or in the middle of the circle where people are dancing. This allows people to both participate in the music trough the dance, as well as watch the vocalist's performance.