1. The “c ă lu ş ari” is the Romanian word for the participants in a traditional folk dance, the c ă lu ş , nowadays mainly found in Southern Romania. The dance closely resembles the other European dances and it is thought to be derived from a pre-Christian fertility ritual and spring rite, and is said to bring luck, health and happiness to the villages in which it is danced. Others maintain that it is rooted in the ancient Indo-European worship of horse. It is quite possible that various traditions became mixed in the course of history. For example, they are also supposed to have healing powers. The “c ă lu ş ” is a male group dance, although there are records of traditions from Oltenia region that included 1-2 young girls, now obsolete. Dancers wear white trousers and white tunics with brightly coloured ribbons streaming from their hats. Bells are attached C ĂLUŞARI