Originally taught in the USA by Roberto Bagnoli. Also taught by Lee Otterholt. This dance comes from the Gagauz minority in southern Moldova. The Gagauz people are a Turkish-speaking group living mostly in southern Moldova, Ukraine, Romania, Bulgaria, Greece, Brasil, the United States and Canada. The Gagauz are Orthodox Christians. There is a related ethnic group also called Gagauz living in the European part of northwestern Turkey. The Gaugaz language is particularly close to the Turkish dialects spoken in Greece, in northeastern Bulgaria and in the Kumanovo and Bitola areas of Macedonia. The dance is a hora from Comrat. The title means “Mary, girl.” Dance notes…
