Chef (Romania/Roma)

Chef

Romanian Roma

These notes ©2018, Andrew Carnie. Originally taught by Sonia Dion and Cristian Florescu. The name is pronounced "Keff" and the dance comes from the Roma (Gypsy) population of Transylvania.

Music: Romanian Realm 6
Meter: 2/4
Formation: Open circle of individuals not holding hands
Introduction: 16 bars (32 counts) no action (or general faffing and noodling around in time to the music.

Basic step: Pas ca la uşa cortului ("Step like on the threshold of a tent")

Bar 1: Step on R in place, or slightly to R (1), Step on L next to R (&), Step on R in place (2), stamp L next to R (&)
Bar 2: Repeat bar 1 with opposite footwork

Part 1

Bars 1-4: Do 2 Pas Ca La Uşa Cortului (PCLUC) steps (RLRstamp, LRLstamp, RLRstamp, LRLstamp). Don't stamp on the last count of bar 4. Dancers may do these facing center or may make a complete CCW turn in place.
Bar 5: Lift R foot up in front, bent at knee, slapping R calf with R hand (1), Step forward into the center on R (&), close L behind R (2), Lift R foot up with a slap on the calf (&)
Bar 6: Step R into the center (1), close L next to R (&), Lift R foot up bent at knee, and slap R calf with R hand (2), pause (&)
Bar 7: Step on R back out of the center (1), Clap (&), Step L back out of center (2), clap while bending at the waist (&)
Bar 8: Step back on R out of the center (1), Clap (&), Step on L next to R, clap (2), pause (&)
Bar 9: Lift R foot up in front, bent at knee, slapping R calf with R hand (1), Step forward  into the center on R (&), close L behind R (2), Lift R foot up, heel out to R with a slap on the outside of R ankle (&)
Bar 10: Step R into the center (1), close L next to R (&), Lift R foot up bent at knee, and slap R calf with R hand (2), pause (&)
Bar 11; Jump on both feet together (1) clap (&), clap (2), Jump on both feet together, chugging slightly forward (&)
Bar 12: Clap (1), Clap (&), Jump on both feet together (2), clap (&)
Bar 13: Cross R over L (1), snap fingers out to the side (&), Touch L toe to L (2), Snap fingers (&)
Bar 14: repeat bar 13 with opposite footwork and direction
Bar 15: Cross R over L (1), step on L to L (2)
Bar 16: Step backwards out o the center on R (1), cross L over R (2)
Bars 17-30: repeat bars 1-14, backing out slightly on the PCLUC steps
Bars 31-32: jump onto both feet with R foot crossed in front of L. Push up on R foot to make a complete CCW turn to end facing center again.

Bridge

Bar 1: Cross R over L, clapping pushing hands out forward during the clap (1) Rock back on L in place (&), Step on R next to L (2), Cross L over R, with a clapping motion like in count 1 (&)

Bar 2: Rock back in place on R (1), Step on L next to R (&), touch R next to L (or stamp R next to L), while doing the outward clapping motion (2) pause (&)

Part 2

Bars 1-4: Do 2 Pas Ca La Uşa Cortului (PCLUC) steps. Don't stamp on the last count of bar 4
Bar 5: Jump on both feet a shoulder width with heels turned out (1) snap heels together closed (2)
Bar 6: Čukče on L (1), Step on R heel next to L (&), Step on L in place (2) pause (&)
Bars 7-8: repeat bars 5-6 with opposite footwork
Bar 9: Step on L heel across in front of R, twisting L toe to R (1), Step on R to R (&) Step on L behind R (2), Step on R to R (&)
Bar 10: Step on L heel across in front of R, twisting L toe to R (1), Step on R to R (&) Step on L behind R (2), pause (&)
Bars 11-12: repeat bars 9-10 with opposite footwork and direction
Bars 13-16: repeat bars 5-8 with opposite footwork
Bars 17-32: repeat bars 1-16

Part 3

Bars 1-4: Do 2 Pas Ca La Uşa Cortului (PCLUC) steps. Don't stamp on the last count of bar 4.
Bar 5: Hop on L, lifting R up (1), Step on R heel forward (&), Step on L in place (2), pause (&)
Bar 6: Hop on L, lifting R up (1), step on R backwards (&), step on L in place (2), pause (&)
Bar 7: Moving to the R, but facing center, Hop on L, lifting R (1), Step on R heel to R, with toe pointed to L (&), Step on L behind R, keeping weight on R heel, twisting the R toe to the R (2), pause
Bar 8: Repeat bar 7
Bars 9-14: repeat bars 1-6
Bar 15:  clap hands together (1), Kick R foot forward and Slap calf with R hand (&) Step on R next to L, while clapping hands (2). Slap L thigh with L hand (&)
Bar 16: Kick L leg forward straight. Slap L leg on inside of calf with Left hand (1), step on L next to R (2).

Bars 17-32: repeat bars 1-16
[note that bars 15 and 16 are counted slightly differently than what's in Sonia and Christian's notes]

Sequence

(part 1, bridge, part 2, part 3) x 3

Other instructions on the web

• (2012) Stockton Folk Dance Class Syllabus
• Page 114 of (2012) Door County Folk Festival
• Page 73 of (2013) Kentucky Dance Institute

Tucson Videos

Other videos on the web