Hongarije
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 | |
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 | |
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 Managing
director of the group. lstvan
Nagy |
ROMANO SUNO | Sátoraljaújhely | |
The group was found in 1982.
Since then it has made a name for itself. Our dances Gipsy Dances
from Szatmár |