In Romania traditions are deeply rooted in the countryβs history. Many customs still observed across villages and towns, particularly in the rural regions. Among these, the bear dance festival (Jocul Ursului) stands out as a rare and unique spectacle that combines folklore, music, and animal symbolism. This tradition, typically performed between Christmas and New Year celebrations, is centered around dancers dressed in bear skins. They mimic the movements of the animal in an elaborate performance meant to ward off evil spirits and bring prosperity in the coming year. While once involving real bears, the practice today is symbolic, with human performers in bear costumes taking the lead.
Experience the Bear Dance Festival firsthand by joining our specially curated photo tour. Book your spot in this yearβs Bear Dance Festival in Romania Photo Tour!
Expand your stay in Romania with our Christmas Photo Tour in Romania, Maramures!
Origins of the bear dance festival
The Bear Dance Festival is a tradition that originated in the Moldavia region, specifically in the town of DΔrmΔneΘti, located along the TrotuΘ River Valley. This tradition is celebrated during the New Year, with the purpose of driving away bad luck from the previous year. It is supposed to bring good fortune, abundance, and prosperity for the year to come.
Neighboring towns, including Dofteana, TΓ’rgu-Ocna, ComΔneΘti, and MoineΘti, eventually adopted this tradition.
Around the early 1900s, the first bear tamers (Romanian βursariβ) emerged in DΔrmΔneΘti, a town in Moldova. These groups of Roma carolers performed during New Yearβs Eve. They traveled from house to house in their town and neighboring villages, bringing with them a live bear that had been trained to dance. They used to force the bear to perform. To do this, tamers placed the piping hot coal on the ground, and compelled the bear to step onto it, often using chains or ropes to force the animal onto the hot surface. The tamer often wrapped the bearβs muzzle and controlled it with a chain.
Handlers typically chose younger bears or cubs for performances, as they were easier to manage than adults. Despite this, handlers still needed significant skill and force. Rhythmic drum beats and the shrill sound of an iron whistle accompanied the performance. These sounds signaled commands to the bear. The tradition entertained audiences while warding off evil spirits and bringing good fortune for the year ahead.
The bear dance festival today
As the tradition grew in popularity, taming multiple live bears became increasingly difficult. To address this, people began killing bears for their pelts, using the skins to create costumes. Human performers than wore the skins and mimicked the movements of the bears. This shift not only made the practice more manageable but also maintained the symbolic link to the bear in the cultural performance. These skins feature two red woolen tassels attached behind the ears to enhance the visual effect and make the movements of the bear even more striking. There is a specific Romanian word for these tassels is βcanafiβ as they are no ordinary tassels.
In the early 2000s there were only few skins available.
Now there are many more people who own and rent skins.
The main instrument used by the βursarβ (bear tamer) is the cearlΔu (a staff designed to intimidate the bear, ensuring it follows the tamerβs commands).
Each bear tamer has their own cearlΔu (staff) and their specific bear, which they control.
An old photograph showcasing the troop, bear chains and tassels
Makeup of the Troop: Cultural Roles and Performers
People adopt different roles within the troop in order for the performance to work out.
The current Bear Troup (Romanian “Ceata de urΘi”) is composed of several interconnected components, as follows:
- Ursari (Bear Tamers)
- Ursi (Bears)
- Dobosari (Drumers)
- Irozi (Defenders of the Troups)
The Drummers (DoboΘari) are responsible for setting the beat with their drums. So they guide not only the dance of the bears but also the movements of the Irozi. Each rhythm and drumbeat has a specific choreography, meticulously followed by the Irozi. The role of the drummer is to maintain a lively tempo that energizes both the bears and the Irozi. Once the drumming begins, the entire troupe starts its performance. The instruments used by the DoboΘari include the darabanΔ or dobΔ (type of drum) and the drumsticks with which they carry out their performance. The drum can whey up to 30 kg and must be held on one shoulder.
Fun fact: Among the whole troop drummers and bear tamers are the ones most exposed to the cold. They don’t wear a 50kg bear skin that, besides looking pretty and entertains the crowd is also very warm for the wearer.
Children participating as Irozi
The Irozi, also known as the “Defenders of the Troupe,” represent the religious component of the group. Their name is linked to King Herod the Great, whose story is often associated with biblical narratives (as seen here).
The role of the Irozi is to evoke faith and bring divine blessings for the New Year. So they counter the claims that these customs are pagan. Their dance symbolizes peace, tranquility, and joy. This complements the bear dance, which is believed to bring abundance, prosperity, and drive away evil spirits from the old year. The primary instrument of the Irozi is the sword. They point it towards the sky during each dance to signify a spiritual connection.
Today mostly children take on the role of Irozi because it is easier for them than wearing the heavy bear skins.
Generations pass down this tradition, with fathers teaching their children. Adults carefully transmit it to young children.
Behind the scenes and rehearsals
Participants are very passionate about this tradition and enjoy organizing, rehearsing and taking care of the skins.
The entire community usually organizes the Bear Dance group, but a designated leader guides it. This leader is responsible for coordinating the group’s rehearsal location. It begins on November 14th, coinciding with the start of the Christmas fasting period. Rehearsals are held only in the evenings on Sundays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays. At the designated place, the drummers (doboΘarii) and the Irozii (defenders) gather first, signaling the beginning of a new season, followed by the bear tamers (ursari) and the “bears.”
The leader actively participates in the group, often taking on the role of either a bear tamer or a bear. Each Bear Dance troop has a chief, and each part of the group has its own commanders. These commanders oversee the artistic performance of individual members.
As previously mentioned, the group consists of bears, bear handlers, drummers, and “Irozi”. Each component team trains during rehearsals and follows the lead of its own commander. The commanders collaborate and communicate with each other to ensure excellent organization.
This festival is more elaborate than the widely known traditions in villages or cities. While small caroler groups, usually a drummer and a colorful goat, roam streets elsewhere, this event holds deeper significance for local communities. It offers a unique experience compared to Romaniaβs popular Christmas markets.
The bear dance festival takes place each year on the following dates:
Comanesti – December 30
Dofteana β December 31
Bacau β December 27
Targu Ocna β December 31
Moinesti β December 27
Onesti also has a festival but without bears.
Whether you are looking to visit Romania for getting to know its culture or for the photography opportunities this festival has plenty to offer. We organize tailor made tours in this region so do not hesitate to contact us here.
Photographing the bear dance festival
Photography enthusiasts will find the bear dance festival an exceptional opportunity to capture vivid and culturally rich moments. The eventβs vibrant costumes, including authentic bear skins adorned with red tassels, create striking visual contrasts. You can take shots of the bear dancers’ rhythmic stomps. Or if you are into music you can include the special type of drum in your photos emphasizing the drummers’ skills.
The atmosphere itself is a treasure trove of photographic subjects. The interaction between the roles within the dance troop offers moments that reflect the communal spirit of the tradition.
Ethical considerations β where do the bear skins come from?
Until 2007, the Romanian authorities permitted hunting, and many of the bear skins are that old. People use special oils and store the pelts away from moisture. However, the number of performers has significantly increased since 2010. Furthermore, a bear skin is quite expensive. Sadly, illegal hunting is likely happening and this includes the killing of bear cubs for the smaller skins that children wear.
In 2024, Romania has reauthorized hunting, citing the high population of bears in its forests as justification, according to Romania Insider. However, some activists argue that the increase in bear sightings might not necessarily indicate a surge in their population. Instead, they suggest that many bears are venturing into cities and sheepfolds due to a scarcity of food in their natural forest habitats. This behavior may be more a sign of environmental stress than overpopulation.
If you want to learn more about trophy hunting in Romania you can read the following: Romanian Action Plan β Brown bear trophy hunting, Bear-problems in Romania: who is to blame?
Other (more ethical) ways to see and photograph bears
There are still opportunities to observe and photograph these majestic creatures in a safe environment. Romania offers several bear observatories and one bear sanctuary. A bear observatory is a place designed for observing wild bears in their natural habitat. It allows people to watch these animals from a safe distance, typically using platforms or hides, without interfering with their natural behavior. In contrast, a bear sanctuary is a protected space that provides care and shelter for bears rescued from harmful situations, such as captivity.
The ZΔrneΘti Libearty Bear Sanctuary< is home to rescued bears that lived in captivity in brutal conditions. They never learned survival skills and therefore can not go back into the wild. Their heartbreaking stories of exploitation highlight the importance of animal protection. You can learn more about them on-site. We must note that a bear sanctuary is not a zoo. Bears have a large piece of land where they can roam and visitors must abide by certain rules in order to not disturb them.
Bear Observatories offer a chance to witness bears in their natural settings while supporting their welfare.
In addition, the bear observatories offer a safe way for tourists to watch wild bears in their natural environment, ensuring that tourists do not disrupt their lives. By visiting these sites, you not only gain a closer look at these incredible animals but also contribute to their protection and conservation efforts.
Some of our tours include visits to the sanctuary or observatories, where you can learn more about the efforts to conserve Romania’s bear population. You can have look at our Cultural Tour, Winter Photo Tour, Transylvania Photo Tour.
Special Thanks and Credits to Cosmina Neamtu for Text and Pictures!
This article was possible with the great involvement and support of Cosmina Neamtu who is a member of one of the bear dance groups in Dofteana. Her father has also been involved in this tradition for a long time. So a lot of the text and the old pictures are her contributions and we want to give her credit for it. Thank you very much Cosmina!
Photo Gallery of previous Bear Dance Festivals in Romania
We created this gallery with the purpose of showcasing some of the pictures taken during our tours, but also as a free resource for anyone who is in need of high quality pictures of Romania. Our pictures are licensed under aΒ Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. This means that you are free to use them, as long as you link back to our website indicating us as the source of your pictures of Romania.
Experience the Bear Dance Festival firsthand by joining our specially curated photo tour. Book your spot in this yearβs Bear Dance Festival in Romania Photo Tour!
