Arcanul Batrinesc (ahr-kah-NOOL BUH-trehn-ehsk) belongs to a family of dances that go under the name Arkcan or Arcanul (the “ul” at the end of the latter name is just the definite article “the” in Romanian), and that can be found in Moldavia and the Carpathian Ukraine. The word “Arcan” means -lassoo,” and these dances typically display a lot of virtuosity and masculine bravado. This particular Arcanul is for old men (“batrinese” means “of the old men”), and is a proud and wistful song recalling the days when these men could still dance the fast Arcanul, and showing with pride and honor their ability to still stamp and kneel. Learned from Annemarie Trottman and other members of the Baden, Switzerland folk dance group, January 1988, and Bianca de Jong (video), from whom the others learned it. Presented by Erik Bendix at the 2006 Stockton Folk Dance Camp. Dance notes…
