In the meantime – thanks to Radboud Koop – we have gained knowledge from another source that answers the question of the meaning of the dance name „Mîndrele“ in a very simple way. Gheorghe Popescu-Județ writes in his dance collection „Jocuri Populare Romînești“ (1959, p. 104): 

„The name „Mîndrele“ comes from the beautiful girls who are looking for the guys so much at the Hora.“ (Denumirea de „Mîndrele“ vine de la fetele frumoase, atît de mult căutate de flăcăi la horă.) 

He also writes that young boys and girls (flăcăi și fete) participate in this popular dance, which is not missing at any festival or wedding in Oltenia. „In Segarcea, the dance is danced wide and simple, in Bailesti supple and gliding, in Hunia near Calafat fast and bouncing.“ 

So – let’s forget all speculations about „boyar girls“, „proud“, „beautiful“ or even „older women“. The Mîndrele (or Mândrele) are a dance family that is very popular with young people in Oltenia, is danced in many variants, and whose name refers to eroticism, an important, indeed constitutive element of folk dance.