Izvorasul Dance Ensemble of Minnesota

The land of the Golden Fleece, the Black Sea, the Danube River, the Dacians, the Carpathian Mountains, the Transylvania Alps, Stefan cel Mare, Vlad Tepes, Dracula, the Olt valley, the Monasteries of Moldova, this is Romania.

It's culture and traditions have been maintained through the millennia, despite its position at the crossroads between Europe and Asia. Many surrounding countries and various invaders have occupied all or portions of Romania over the course of its history. Some of its regions have been influenced by those cultures. Yet its mountains, forests and valleys protected other regions, allowing villagers to live as their ancestors did hundreds of years past, thus enabling the preservation of the culture of the country through its songs and dances. According to the Institute of Folklore in Bucharest, Romania, there are more than 40,000 collected, categorized and cataloged dances that have existed.

Surging forth like the cool mountain springs of the Carpathian Mountains and Transylvanian Alps, Izvorasul personifies the vigor, freshness and strength of those bubbling waters, while portraying Romanian culture through the music of many of those dances.

Under the expert guidance of its director, John (Ionica) Omorean, the Izvorasul Romanian Dance Ensemble, founded in 1980, has spread enjoyment of music and dance throughout North America, Romania, and Yugoslavia (Serbia). It has done so through performing in countless ethnic festivals, fairs, private celebrations and theaters. Performing at the Festival of Nations, the group has presented each year a new repertoire or variation. Izvorasul brings a touch of energy, excitement and culture throughout the Twin Cities.

John Omorean was born in the Romanian village of Petrovasila (Vladimirovat), Banat. The local culture’s music and dance, being central in his life even as a child, influenced him profoundly. Having specialized in the field during his higher education in Canada, he continued his postgraduate work in Europe. John received a research specialist certificate from the University of Bucharest and the Institute of Folklore and Ethnography in Romania. He attended the George Enescu School of Choreography and rehearsed with various well known dance and folk ensembles. Most significantly, he participated in field research assignments traveling to various regions in Romania. It is here where those deep-rooted and natural cultural beliefs, in music, in dance, and in life's aspirations are expressed by the original sounds and movements of the people.

John's artistic dance creations are exuberant, wide-ranging and authentically original. He has choreographed more than forty suites of dances for the Izvorasul and Dunarea Dance Ensembles, along with numerous individual pieces and songs. His guest choreographic commissions include suites of Romanian dances for various ethnic dance ensembles and theatres and his favorite, his own, " Dunarea si Randunica" Children's Dance Group of St. Paul which he considers to be the future for that cultural preservation and expression, for all of us to enjoy, in the generations to follow.

Photo: © 2007 Izvorasul Archives