“Hora Mare” started 7 or 8 years ago initiated by a group of people from Colorado’s Romanian community. Most of them were members of the R.A.F.A. The group could not have existed without our instructors. I am sure that most of you remember Donald Vukovic, our very first instructor. I can say that one of the reasons of having started folkdancing was him. It took me a long time to learn my first few dances and probably without his encouraging attitude I would have dropped out very soon (“Remember, the only thing important is to finish on the right foot!”, “Just lift one foot at a time and everything in going to be fine!”- not to mention the almost omnipresent plum brandy bottle).
With John Chu we have learned a lot of new dances and the coreography and general look of the group improved even more. John tried to pursue every dancer into refining their movements and focusing on all details of the dance. We all got genuine Romanian costumes as well. About one year ago and after more than two years of leading the group John’s proffession started requiring frequent travelling and has become rather difficult for him to continue with the group. John lives in Denver and had to commute to Boulder every Sunday for rehearsals as well.
Vladimira Dragnea, now in Bloomington, IN, took on her shoulders the challenging work of being the group leader. Without her volunteering the group’s existence and continuity was being at stake.
By the Christmas last year Costea (or Kostya) Butsura joined our group bringing in more challenges for everybody since he is a professional dancer. But he brought in more than that, especially a relentless energy and wicked sense of humor. Again, the group got a new breath of life and both rehearsals and performances were lining up continuously. “Hora Mare” started to be invited to perform more and more. In spite of the loss of two of it’s most valuable dancers, Vladimira and Bogdan Dragnea, who “emigrated” to Indiana, the group continued to perform. With the help of the newest members, Yannick and Frank-both very talented dancers, the group maintained its size and level of performance.
Over the years “Hora Mare” has been extremely lucky to have a place to gather together. In the recent years most of the time we have met by the generosity of the Grace Lutheran Church.
The group has performed regularly during different events: the Romanian Festival, the Greek Orthodox Church in Boulder, Michael and Carol Codrescu’s fundraising evenings at Grace Lutheran Church in Boulder, the Boulder International Folk Arts Festival and many others.
With John Chu we have learned a lot of new dances and the coreography and general look of the group improved even more. John tried to pursue every dancer into refining their movements and focusing on all details of the dance. We all got genuine Romanian costumes as well. About one year ago and after more than two years of leading the group John’s proffession started requiring frequent travelling and has become rather difficult for him to continue with the group. John lives in Denver and had to commute to Boulder every Sunday for rehearsals as well.
Vladimira Dragnea, now in Bloomington, IN, took on her shoulders the challenging work of being the group leader. Without her volunteering the group’s existence and continuity was being at stake.
By the Christmas last year Costea (or Kostya) Butsura joined our group bringing in more challenges for everybody since he is a professional dancer. But he brought in more than that, especially a relentless energy and wicked sense of humor. Again, the group got a new breath of life and both rehearsals and performances were lining up continuously. “Hora Mare” started to be invited to perform more and more. In spite of the loss of two of it’s most valuable dancers, Vladimira and Bogdan Dragnea, who “emigrated” to Indiana, the group continued to perform. With the help of the newest members, Yannick and Frank-both very talented dancers, the group maintained its size and level of performance.
Over the years “Hora Mare” has been extremely lucky to have a place to gather together. In the recent years most of the time we have met by the generosity of the Grace Lutheran Church.
The group has performed regularly during different events: the Romanian Festival, the Greek Orthodox Church in Boulder, Michael and Carol Codrescu’s fundraising evenings at Grace Lutheran Church in Boulder, the Boulder International Folk Arts Festival and many others.
Razvan Lapadat
