la Hongrie

MECSEK   Pécs

INTRODUCTION

The Mecsek Folk Dance Ensemble has been working since it’s foundation, 1955 in the city of Pécs, which is situated on the southern hillside of the Mecsek mountains. The group was named after these mountains forming the townscape of Pécs. During the past nearly 50 years the ensemble, owner of the „Excellent Group” title, had several success in the festivals of Hungary and abroad. The dancers have toured round Europe and also got to Asia and North-America.

Our ensemble’s aim is to get to know the dancing-traditions of the Hungarian nation, and to present them on stage authentically. In our program we work up the characteristic dances of all the dance dialects of the Hungarian language area. Among the authentic choreographies we enrich our repertoire with historical dances and dance-theatre compositions, too. We take on performances with the whole group of 25 dancers and also with the chamber group consisting of the soloists.  We are accompanied by our string orchestra of 4-5 members, the Mecsek Band.

Our main supporter is the City Council of Pécs and the Mecsek Folk Dance Ensemble Association, in addition we are mostly sponsored by local companies.

Artistic director: János Molnár

Assistant: Oszkár Vass

Chairman of the association: Lajos Gál

HISTORY

The Mecsek Folk Dance Ensemble was founded on 25th February 1955. The founder choreogrepher, the Liszt-prized artist Antal Simon formed the group to a high-level ensemble in a few years. The dancers won several prizes in the national festivals with his thematic compositions, working up the folklore. Simon’s composer and solo dancer were also awarded. Beside his works, the group performed the compositions of such well-known choreographers as István Molnár, Miklós Rábai, Antal Kricskovics and Moiseiev. During that period the Mecsek was awarded with the „Excellent Group” title three times.

Since 1958 the ensemble has participated in international festivals too, and performed with great success in the San Remo World Festival, in the Sicilian Agrigento and in Dijon, France. From the last two festivals the Mecsek brought home the II. prize. Among the numerous performances abroad it’s worth mentioning the tour in Scandinavia. In the course of the three-week-long travel the dancers performed in several cities of Sweden and Finland.

Antal Simon directed the group for 15 years. In 1970, however, he was appointed to be the artistic director of the Budapest Dance Ensemble. The Mecsek did one of the longest journeys of its history after his leaving, under the leadership of Attila Dezső: the dancers travelled to Vietnam. In 1971 Tibor Somogyi became the leader of the ensemble, who was followed by István Bodonyi in 1974. Under their direction the dancers achieved further national and international recognition.

In 1976 József Bodai became the artistic director. His arrival and authentic approach gave an impulse to the group. He reorganized the ensemble, and thought of the future by setting up junior groups. The appearance of the Mecsek has changed – the performing style of the rejuvenated group and Bodai’s choreographic solutions both aimed at showing dance traditions genuinely on stage. Jolán Foltin, Sándor Timár and Zoltán Farkas „Batyu” were also working at the ensemble as choreographers.

Additional appreciations were obtained in the national festivals of Szekszárd and Balatonföldvár. Beside the prizes, further „Excellent Group” classifications proved the outstanding quality of the Mecsek. Among the results in Hungary, the dancers bore up well abroad, too. The group had great success in the festivals of Yugoslavia, Syria, Italy and France, and also in the partner cities of Pécs: in Lahti – Finland, in Lvov – Soviet Union, in Kütahya – Turkey and in Fellbach – Germany.

Since 1993, the retirement of József Bodai, János Molnár has been directing the ensemble...

THE PRESENT GROUP

The members of the Mecsek Folk Dance Ensemble have been working together for 10 years. The artistic director, János Molnár was appointed to be the leader of the group in 1993. He completed the Mecsek, working as a chamber group that time, with the members of his youth ensemble. The group is still based on those dancers. During the following years there were a few assistants who worked together with the artistic director, and some guest choreographers took part in the work of the group, too. The junior groups were reorganized, and the ensemble was strengthened with new dancers several times. Appreciating the hard work started in 1993, the Mecsek was awarded with the „Excellent Group” classification in 1996.

The ensemble reached its top form in 1998. By that time the dancers became mature both technically and in their appearance on stage – they became prepared to perform very high-level productions. They found an excellent partner in the person of Attila Gálber, who joined the group in January 1998, working as a dance tutor and choreographer, the colleague of János Molnár. The young choreographer full of ideas, gave proof of his talent soon: the Mecsek had great success with his first composition made for the ensemble. The work entitled „Memories from Mezőföld” won choreogrephy prize in the Szekszárd National Folk Dance Festival in 1998. Additionally the dance group and the band were awarded, too. As a result of the festival, the Mecsek was invited to perform in the Folk Dance Anthology in Budapest, after 19 years again.

In 2000, after the celebration of the ensemble’s 45th anniversary, the dancers managed to obtain the „Excellent Group” classification for the second time. Further recognitions were achieved in 2002: the group won choreography prize, dance group prize and solo dancer prize in the Zala National Chamber Dance Festival. The dance-theatre play presented in the festival – József Bognár: „Tóts’ Dance” – had great success in the theatres of Budapest, too: in the program of the Contemporary Folk Dance evening, the Folk Dance Anthology, and the National Dance Theatre. In 2002 the Mecsek was awarded with the „Excellent Group” classification again.

The success has increased internationally, too. The group participated in 1-2 foreign festivals every year – between 1993-2003, in the course of 17 tours, the Mecsek presented its program in 10 countries of Europe, from Finland to Italy and from Poland to Portugal. Besides, the ensemble took part in the international folk dance festivals of Taiwan in 2001, and Canada in 2002. Among the performances abroad, the dancers paid particular attention for the shows presented in Hungarian-speaking areas, in Croatia and Transylvania (Rumania).

Apart from national and foreign festivals, the ensemble naturally has programs in Pécs and its region. In the last few years, during 40-50 shows annually, the group presented itself in more than 40 places of Baranya County. The dancers prepare for the performances with three-hour-long rehearsals, three times a week. They enrich their repertoire continuously with own compositions and works of guest choreographers, too. The new productions not only make the program colorful, but also provide opportunity to take part in national festivals.

In November 2003 the preparations started with the leadership of a new assistant for the year of 2004. Oszkár Vass and the dancers are looking forward to many taks: In April, in the XXI. Zala Chamber Dance Festival, they will present new choreographies. During spring the aim is to win the „Eternal Excellent Group” prize, which the Mecsek can be awarded with, if getting the excellent classification for the third time after 2000 and 2002. The group is going to take part in the Szekszárd National Folk Dance Festival in November. Meanwhile, the preparations will start for the celebrations of the 50th anniversary of the ensemble’s foundation. The jubilee programs are going to be held in March 2005, with the participation of present, old and „future” dancers.

The Mecsek Folk Dance Ensemble is the member of the György Martin Folk Dance Assotiation, that connects the folk dance groups of Hungary. The ensemble has also contacts with the Folk Dance for Children Foundation and the János Berze Nagy Folk Art School of Pécs.    

ABOUT OUR PROGRAM

The Mecsek Folk Dance Ensemble aims at showing the Hungarian dance traditions genuinely on stage. Accordingly, our choreographies work up folklore in authentic style, keeping the original forms in essence. In our program – among others – we give a sample of the spectacular jumping dances with bottles and brooms and the more hundred years old „verbunk” traditions of Transdanubia, of the special athmosphered girls’ dances of the Hungarians living in Slovakia, of the characteristic „csárdás” and the skill requiring stick dance from Eastern-Hungary, and of the dynamic couple dances and virtouso lad’s dances from Transylvania.

In addition, there are also historical dances in our repertoire, that we mainly present as balls’ openings. The compositions from the renaissance times and the XIX. century create solemn atmosphere with their original melodies and dresses.

A new colour appeared in our program, when we aimed to put dance-theatre plays on stage. Our first composition of this attempt works up the story of the Tót family by the words of dance, adapted from the drama of István Örkény. The success of the dance is due to the clear humor of the choreographer and the character of the dancers.

Our complete program is 1,5–2 hours long, from which we can draw up the show according to the demands. In addition to the 30-membered ensemble, we take on performances with the chamber group, too.

The Mecsek Band accompanying the dance ensemble is ready to arrange folk music programs and dancing parties, too.

 

NEPTANCKOR   Sarvar


Unsere Gruppe wurde im Jahre 1977 als Rechtsnachfolger der Gruppe mehrerer Mittelschulm gegründet. Sie besteht aus Schülern und Schülerinnen, aus berufstahigen Burschen und Mädchen.  

Es ist das Ziel unserer Gruppe: die Tanzs des Ungartums innerhalle und ausserhalb unserer Grenzen zu erlernen, unverf¨lscht zupflegen, zu erhalten und unserer nachkommenden Generation weiterzureichen. Wir sind darüber fest überzeugt, daß wir mit unseren Tänzen einen Beitrag zur Völkerverständigung Frieden, und Freundschaft auf dieser Welt leisten.  

Das Regös ensemble ist kleines ensemble der Volkmusik, das ungarische Volkmusik und manchmal Musik der Nationalitäten bzw. vertonte Gedichte vorführt.  

Es wurde im Jahre 1972 gegründet. Da zu dieser Zeit die Volkskunst wieder im Vordergrund gekommen ist und auf diese Initiative enstand dieses Kleinensemble.  

Das Ensemble ist reich an Instrumenten, so besteht die Môglichkeit, dass es viele originale Werke von Bartok, Kodaly, L.Lajtha u.a. und spezialisch instrumentierte Werke der Volksmusik und volkstümliche Tanzmusik aufführt.

 

ZEMPLÉN   Cigánd


Folk-dance group for children and youth “Zemplén”

The folk-dance group Zemplén was founded in 1963. lt aimed to unite those children and aduits who are interested in popular art, in addition to help their activity in today's cultural life.

We consider it as our task to get to know, to safeguard, to foster and to improve the folk-dance tradition as weil as to pass on our cultural values.

Today our group has 120 mernbers who work in three different groups.

In the past three decades our folk-dance group has achived a great succes at home as weil as in other Coutries.

Besides the different regions of Hongary we also took part in guest-performances in Austria ,      Switzerland , Germany , Netherlands , Cuba , France , Turkey , ltaly and Greece .

Managing director of the group.  

lstvan Nagy

 

ROMANO SUNO   Sátoraljaújhely


Romano Suno,  Sátoraljaújhely, Hungary

The group was found in 1982. Since then it has made a name for itself.
The group has preformed several times in Denmark, Germany, Switzerland, Portugal, France, nearly all Europe. The International Wander Gipsyfestival in Sátoraljaújhely is organized every year as the group's initiative. A lot of groups come for this event, our festival has guests even from the USA.

Our dances    Gipsy Dances from Szatmár
                        Gipsy Dances from Zemplén
                        "Csingerálás" from Romania

The Dancers of our group are students, young workers.

The Shows of the group: 30 minutes; 1 hour; 1 and a half hour; Dance hall Singing.



Manager of the group
Tibor Lakatos