The Bear Dance is a Romanian folkloric tradition that takes place around the New Year, more common in the Moldavian region of the country. The event involves dancers in bear skin costumes dancing to the rythm of the drummers. This tradition started with actual dancing bears, but in the second half of the XX-th century it transitioned to performers in costume, with the communist regime outlawing the original bear dance. Photographed here is probably the most well known group in the Moldavian region called The Bears from Comănești. It is a very demanding performance, each costume weighing up to 10 kg. The tradition symbolises the death and rebirth of nature.
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