International Council for Traditional Music (World conference), Wien. In panel "Reflections on posture and attitude in music and dance performance", convened by Christine Guillebaud and Victor A. Stoichiţă.

Abstract

In central Moldavia (Romania), professional musicians play one of the fastest and liveliest dance music of the Balkans region. However, they hardly move to it (and it does not seem to move them either). They perform in brass bands or in smaller amplified ensembles. Playing may require energic and/or fast movements but the musicians do not get involved physically in the music itself: they do not dance, nor bounce, nor even tap one foot to the beat. Their attitude thus contrasts with that of the dancers, who tend to favor leaps, fast spinning around and energetic stamping. This "postural segregation" is constructed in a deliberate manner. I will try to point what particular conception of the feast and merry-making it implies.