I snapped some of these images in Bucharest and others during the few hours I spent in the region, while visiting my family in Moinesti.
COMANESTI, ROMANIA - DEC 30: Troupe of bears performing during the twentieth edition of a local festival attended by hundreds in Comanesti, northern Romania, Wednesday, Dec. 30 2015. In pre-Christian rural traditions, dancers wearing colored costumes or animal furs, toured from house to house in villages singing and dancing to ward off evil, in the present the tradition has moved to Romania's cities too, where dancers travel to perform the ritual for money. © Mugur Varzariu
COMANESTI, ROMANIA - DEC 30: Troupe of bears performing during the twentieth edition of a local festival attended by hundreds in Comanesti, northern Romania, Wednesday, Dec. 30 2015. In pre-Christian rural traditions, dancers wearing colored costumes or animal furs, toured from house to house in villages singing and dancing to ward off evil, in the present the tradition has moved to Romania's cities too, where dancers travel to perform the ritual for money. © Mugur Varzariu
Troupe of bears performing during the twentieth edition of a local festival attended by hundreds in Comanesti, northern Romania, Wednesday, Dec. 30 2015. In pre-Christian rural traditions, dancers wearing colored costumes or animal furs, toured from house to house in villages singing and dancing to ward off evil, in the present the tradition has moved to Romania's cities too, where dancers travel to perform the ritual for money.
Troupe of bears performing during the twentieth edition of a local festival attended by hundreds in Comanesti, northern Romania, Wednesday, Dec. 30 2015. In pre-Christian rural traditions, dancers wearing colored costumes or animal furs, toured from house to house in villages singing and dancing to ward off evil, in the present the tradition has moved to Romania's cities too, where dancers travel to perform the ritual for money.
Kids from from a troupe of bears taking a break before performing during the twentieth edition of a local festival attended by hundreds in Comanesti, northern Romania, Wednesday, Dec. 30 2015. In pre-Christian rural traditions, dancers wearing colored costumes or animal furs, toured from house to house in villages singing and dancing to ward off evil, in the present the tradition has moved to Romania's cities too, where dancers travel to perform the ritual for money.
Children from Dofteana, northern Romania, some wearing bear furs, walk while performing a holiday season ritual in Bucharest, Romania, Tuesday, Dec. 23, 2014. In pre-Christian rural traditions, dancers wearing colored costumes or animal furs, touring house to house in villages singing and dancing to ward off evil. In recent years following the economic downturn in Romania, a European Union member since 2007, the tradition has moved to Romania's cities where dancers travel to perform the ritual for money during the Christmas and New Year's period.
Troupe of bears warming up for a local festival attended by hundreds in Darmanesti, northern Romania, Wednesday, Dec. 31 2015. In pre-Christian rural traditions, dancers wearing colored costumes or animal furs, toured from house to house in villages singing and dancing to ward off evil, in the present the tradition has moved to Romania's cities too, where dancers travel to perform the ritual for money.
Children from Dofteana, northern Romania, some wearing bear furs, walk while performing a holiday season ritual in Bucharest, Romania, Tuesday, Dec. 23, 2014. In pre-Christian rural traditions, dancers wearing colored costumes or animal furs, touring house to house in villages singing and dancing to ward off evil. In recent years following the economic downturn in Romania, a European Union member since 2007, the tradition has moved to Romania's cities where dancers travel to perform the ritual for money during the Christmas and New Year's period.
Children from Dofteana, northern Romania, some wearing bear furs, walk while performing a holiday season ritual in Bucharest, Romania, Tuesday, Dec. 23, 2014. In pre-Christian rural traditions, dancers wearing colored costumes or animal furs, touring house to house in villages singing and dancing to ward off evil. In recent years following the economic downturn in Romania, a European Union member since 2007, the tradition has moved to Romania's cities where dancers travel to perform the ritual for money during the Christmas and New Year's period.
Troupe of bears warming up for a local festival attended by hundreds in Darmanesti, northern Romania, Wednesday, Dec. 31 2015. In pre-Christian rural traditions, dancers wearing colored costumes or animal furs, toured from house to house in villages singing and dancing to ward off evil, in the present the tradition has moved to Romania's cities too, where dancers travel to perform the ritual for money.
KId dressed as a bear prepares for the local festival attended by hundreds in Darmanesti, northern Romania, Thursday, Dec. 31 2015. In pre-Christian rural traditions, dancers wearing colored costumes or animal furs, toured from house to house in villages singing and dancing to ward off evil, in the present the tradition has moved to Romania's cities too, where dancers travel to perform the ritual for money.
Troupe of bears performing during the twentieth edition of a local festival attended by hundreds in Comanesti, northern Romania, Wednesday, Dec. 30 2015. In pre-Christian rural traditions, dancers wearing colored costumes or animal furs, toured from house to house in villages singing and dancing to ward off evil, in the present the tradition has moved to Romania's cities too, where dancers travel to perform the ritual for money.
Villagers getting their bear furs in preparations for a local festival attended by hundreds in Darmanesti, northern Romania, Wednesday, Dec. 31 2015. In pre-Christian rural traditions, dancers wearing colored costumes or animal furs, toured from house to house in villages singing and dancing to ward off evil, in the present the tradition has moved to Romania's cities too, where dancers travel to perform the ritual for money.
Women dressed as bears resting before their performance on stage during the twentieth edition of a local festival attended by hundreds in Comanesti, northern Romania, Wednesday, Dec. 30 2015. In pre-Christian rural traditions, dancers wearing colored costumes or animal furs, toured from house to house in villages singing and dancing to ward off evil, in the present the tradition has moved to Romania's cities too, where dancers travel to perform the ritual for money.
KId dressed as a bear prepares for the local festival attended by hundreds in Darmanesti, northern Romania, Thursday, Dec. 31 2015. In pre-Christian rural traditions, dancers wearing coloured costumes or animal furs, toured from house to house in villages singing and dancing to ward off evil, in the present the tradition has moved to Romania's cities too, where dancers travel to perform the ritual for money.
Villagers removing the dust from a bear fur in preparations for a local festival attended by hundreds in Darmanesti, northern Romania, Wednesday, Dec. 31 2015. In pre-Christian rural traditions, dancers wearing colored costumes or animal furs, toured from house to house in villages singing and dancing to ward off evil, in the present the tradition has moved to Romania's cities too, where dancers travel to perform the ritual for money.
Children from Dofteana, northern Romania, some wearing bear furs, walk while performing a holiday season ritual in Bucharest, Romania, Tuesday, Dec. 23, 2014. In pre-Christian rural traditions, dancers wearing colored costumes or animal furs, touring house to house in villages singing and dancing to ward off evil. In recent years following the economic downturn in Romania, a European Union member since 2007, the tradition has moved to Romania's cities where dancers travel to perform the ritual for money during the Christmas and New Year's period.
Children from Dofteana, northern Romania, some wearing bear furs, walk while performing a holiday season ritual in Bucharest, Romania, Tuesday, Dec. 23, 2014. In pre-Christian rural traditions, dancers wearing colored costumes or animal furs, touring house to house in villages singing and dancing to ward off evil. In recent years following the economic downturn in Romania, a European Union member since 2007, the tradition has moved to Romania's cities where dancers travel to perform the ritual for money during the Christmas and New Year's period.
Children from Dofteana, northern Romania, some wearing bear furs, walk while performing a holiday season ritual in Bucharest, Romania, Tuesday, Dec. 23, 2014. In pre-Christian rural traditions, dancers wearing colored costumes or animal furs, touring house to house in villages singing and dancing to ward off evil. In recent years following the economic downturn in Romania, a European Union member since 2007, the tradition has moved to Romania's cities where dancers travel to perform the ritual for money during the Christmas and New Year's period.
Children from Dofteana, northern Romania, some wearing bear furs, walk while performing a holiday season ritual in Bucharest, Romania, Tuesday, Dec. 23, 2014. In pre-Christian rural traditions, dancers wearing colored costumes or animal furs, touring house to house in villages singing and dancing to ward off evil. In recent years following the economic downturn in Romania, a European Union member since 2007, the tradition has moved to Romania's cities where dancers travel to perform the ritual for money during the Christmas and New Year's period.
Troupe of bears minutes before gong on stage to perform during the twentieth edition of a local festival attended by hundreds in Comanesti, northern Romania, Wednesday, Dec. 30 2015. In pre-Christian rural traditions, dancers wearing colored costumes or animal furs, toured from house to house in villages singing and dancing to ward off evil, in the present the tradition has moved to Romania's cities too, where dancers travel to perform the ritual for money.
Villagers getting their bear furs in preparations for a local festival attended by hundreds in Darmanesti, northern Romania, Wednesday, Dec. 31 2015. In pre-Christian rural traditions, dancers wearing colored costumes or animal furs, toured from house to house in villages singing and dancing to ward off evil, in the present the tradition has moved to Romania's cities too, where dancers travel to perform the ritual for money.
Troupe of bears performing during the twentieth edition of a local festival attended by hundreds in Comanesti, northern Romania, Wednesday, Dec. 30 2015. In pre-Christian rural traditions, dancers wearing colored costumes or animal furs, toured from house to house in villages singing and dancing to ward off evil, in the present the tradition has moved to Romania's cities too, where dancers travel to perform the ritual for money.
Kid looks at the big bears furs prepared to be wear by adults for the local festival attended by hundreds in Darmanesti, northern Romania, Thursday, Dec. 31 2015. In pre-Christian rural traditions, dancers wearing coloured costumes or animal furs, toured from house to house in villages singing and dancing to ward off evil, in the present the tradition has moved to Romania's cities too, where dancers travel to perform the ritual for money.
