Czech Republic

DÚBRAVA   Dubnany


Ethnographic ensemble Dúbrava is an ensemble of folk songs and dances and belongs among the most famous ensembles of the region Moravian Slovakia which is called “Kyjovské Dolnácko”.

This part of Moravian Slovakia is very rich and fertile, picturesque and variable like the costumes of Dubnany which are worn by members of the ensemble during performations.These costumes are richy hand-embroidered and motifs are passed from generation on generation. It will be shown on ways how it was worn at past, from simple variants to very beautiful and rich festive costumes. This costume is appreciated by experts as one of the most beautiful in the world.

The ethnographic ensemble Dúbrava was originated in 1978 and is following with a long-time activity of the Moravian-Slovak circle at Dubnany. Its repertory contains long two-hour-performances and short dancing or musical exhibits too. It adapts a folk material from its region but it attends to the nearest surroundings too.

The ensemble cooperates with cymbalo bands which belong among the best ones at the region. They attract with the very good technical side, variability of melodies, clear singing and inexhau- stible plenty of songs.

The ensemble has presented it self at different places of our country and in several countries in Europe. Everywhere, it has won a great success. The members of the ensemble are already the looking forward to the time, when they have the possibility to show you their art and the beauty of moravian folklore.

 

POLANA   Brno


The ensemble was founded in 1949 by Slovak university students of agriculture and forestry. Some of them are well-known in the wide folklore area by their active functioning until these days. The primary aim of the ensemble in the time of its foundation was to create the opportunity for socialising of its members, who were mainly of Slovak origin. That time, it was quite an exception to compile the Slovak dancing folklore in Brno ’s conditions (there was no rival till 1957 when the military ensemble Jánošík started its working there).

During the whole period of its existence the ensemble passed different organisations. It developed from  “The Ethnic Group“ beside the university of Brno, in 1951 it functioned under the Factory Club, then it proceeded to the University of  Technology – VUT (working under the name “The Ensemble of Slovak Folk Songs and Dances), afterwards it passed on under the University Club (directed by the Regional University Council) and finally in the year 1973, after the formation of SSM, it became again the university ensemble of the Brno’s VUT with the name “The University Ensemble of Folk Songs and Dances Pol’ana“. The ensemble kept this name even after two years after the “velvet revolution“ at the registration in the office of home Department in 1991.

These days the ensemble is being created mainly by students of all the universities in Brno such as the University of Technology , the Masaryk’s University, the Mendel’s University of Agriculture and Forestry, the Veterinary and Pharmaceutical University . The “student“ member basis has a direct influence on the ensemble repertory. Then it is not surprising that it is still orientated on the lively dance folklore of Slovak regions. For the students who came from their home groups from the whole Moravia region, Pol’ana offers the grateful opportunity to learn some dancing elements of Slovak folklore. On the other hand, the ensemble does not reject impacts brought by these students. For instance, a new dance choreography from the village of Nivnice near Uherský Brod has been created recently.

It could seem that Pol’ana may be isolated from authentic traditional sources, considering its seat in the Moravian centre – Brno . What is more, the separation of the Czechoslovak Federative Republic in 1993 caused that Slovak folklore is now regarded as foreign folklore. That is why the ensemble tries to make contacts and work intensive with the choreographers coming from the Slovak region. For example, we have co-operated for a long time with Stanislav Uderman – a native from Raslavice – a village of the Šariš region. We gained the first price in Spain (MFF – the International Folklore Festival, Cantonigros 1998) with his dancing choreography. An other native choreographer is Tatiana Knížková from the Telgárt along the Upper-Hron river.

The authenticity of our dances is also being improved by performances on the stage of different Slovak regional festivals and the possibility of the comparison with the traditional local ones. Pol’ana participated in the foremost international folklore festivals in Detva and Zvolen.

In order to draw new, fresh impulses the ensemble tries to take part at least in one of the foreign festivals every year. The ensemble so travelled throughout the whole Europe except Belgium and Luxemburg. Some of the unforgettable festivals our ensemble experienced and like to remember were in Sidmouth (GB, 1990), Dijon ( France , 1992), Simanas and Cantonigros (Spain, 1994 and 1998) and Varsseveld (the Netherlands , 1999).

 

OSTRAVIčKA   Frýdek-Místek


The Children´s Folklore Ensemble Ostravička comes from Frýdek-Místek and that is situated at the mountains called Beskydy. The Ensemble was established in 1982.  

There is a group of 140 children and youths. The young pupils visit special classrooms with extensive lessons of Physical education and Music. Generally, they get thier musical and dance education at the Art School .  

The members are divided into three aget categories with an own repertoire. They train three times a week and there are lots of emphases on its precision of dances on a stage.  

The Ensemble take inspiration from the local regions of Lachia , Silesia and Moravia-Slovakia. Ostravička perform in their typical Lachia´s and stylized town´s costumes. Ostravička is a regular participant of high competitions and other dance festivals.  

The Ensemble has been filmed severals times by TV, especially in programme “Vonička z domova” and “Zpívánky”.  

Ostravička is especially pleased by invitations to festivals abroad. They have performed in Slovakia, Poland, Russia, Austria, Germany, France, Turkey (Ankara), Latvia, Lithuana, Estonia, Slovenia, Croatia, Ukraina, Portugal, Italy and Morocco.  

Ostravička is proud of the awards: the designation “Laureat of the International Folklore Festival Strážnice 90”.

 

VSACAN   Vsetin


Das Ensemble der walachischen Lieder und Tänzen ‘Vsacan’ gehört zu den ältesten Amateur ensembles in der ganzen Tschechischen Re publik. Während der 50 Jahren seiner Tätigkeit (gegründet im Jahre 1943) propagiert es die Kultur des walachischen Volkes nicht nur in der ganzen Tschechischen Republik, sondern auch in den folkloristischen Festen im Ausland. Arbeitet auch mit Rundfunk, Fernsehen und Film mit.  

In Jahre 1956 wurde als erstes Amateur ensemble in der Tschechoslowakei auf das internationale Folklorfestival nach England geschickt. Es vergangen schon viele Jahre und es wurden auch mehrere Lânder wie Frankreich, Polen, Spanien, Italien, BRD, Tûrkei, Rumänien, Schweden, Schweiz, Osterreich, Ungarn zugenommen, in welchen Vsacan seine Heimat repräsentierte.  

In dieser langen Zeit haben sich viele Tänzer und Musiker, Freunde der walachischen Lieder und Tânze, die den Volkskunstschatz unserer heimattlichen Walachei den kommenden Generationen einhalten wollten, einander abgelöst.

Das Ensemble ist in seiner Stadt Vsetin tätig, und bringt auf die Bühne die Volkslieder und Gewohnenheiten des etnographises Gebietes Walachei. Die von den Musikern und Tänzern des Ensembles Vsacan interpretierte Volkskunst hat seine Herkunft in der Volkskunst der Einwohner des Berggebietes in dem westlichen Teil des karpatischen Bogens. Das Ensemble übergibt diese Kunst sowohl in ursprünglicher Form, als auch in den verschiedenen Formen des Bûhnestyliasie- rung.

Repertoir des Ensembles bilden sowohl Drehtanzen, als auch Figurtanzen, handwerkertanzen, Uralttanz, der für der schönsten aber gleichzeitig schwierigsten gehalten ist, auch der walachische Tschardasch.

Der untrennbare Teil des Ensembles ist neben der Tânzergruppe die Zymbalmusik. In der heutigen Zeit spielt die Musik unter Leitung des Primasch Miroslav Urubek, Leiter der Musik ist ing. Jiri Kaspar. Zu den Mitgliedern mit ihrer 45- jähriger Mitgliederschaft gehört auch die Sängerin Zdenka Straskrabova. Ihre ausgezeichnete interpretation der walachischen Lieder wurde auf vielen Festivalen und Wettbewerben geschätzt.  

Das Ensemble Vsacan wird nicht nur vom Ensemble der Erwachsenen gebildet, aber es gehören dazu auch zwei Kinderensembles. Das kleinere von ihnen heisst ‘Maly Vsacanek’ und es sind hier die Kinder in Alter von 3 bis 8 Jahre unter die Leitung von den Eheleuten Magdon tätig. Das Ensemble wurde im Jahre 1979 gegründet.  

Das zweite Kinderensemble ist Ensemble ‘Vsacánek’, das von Kindern im Alter von 9 bis 15 Jahre gebildet wird. Dieses Kinderensemble, dessen Leiterin Frau Miroslava Zapletalová ist, wurde während seiner Existenz sowohl auf den heimatlichen Festivalen und Schauen, als auch auf den Folklorfestivalen im Ausland geschätzt. Das Ensemble ‘Vsacánek’ wurde im Jahre 1959 gegründet.

Leiter des Ensembles Vsacan ist Oldrich Stroblik, Kunstleiter Vladimir Pavelka und Leiter des Tänzerteiles ist Frantisek Hlavácek.

 

VSACANEK   Vsetin


Gradual ridges of hills and valleys between them, humps and rises, sunlit clearings full of the fragrance of flowers, mountain streams speeding into the river Becva, elongated villages along Wallachia. This landscape is popular with tourists and lovers of nature for its scenus beauty. It has not been only nature enticing visitors, but also the original, friendly and heart filled people - their speech, customs, traditions, folk costume - their folk culture.  

The children’s dancing ensemble ‘Vsacanek’ has drawn from large wealth of Wallachian folklore as well. The history of the ensemble began in 1951. A few teachers from one of Vsetin’s schools became interested in folklore. In 1959 the ensemble ‘Vsacanek’ - one of the most well - known and the oldest ensembles in our country - took young dancers under its wings. Today the ‘Vsacanek’ is a very experienced ensemble which has performed in various places throughout our country as well as abroad. It has won the favour of both the public and experts alike for its programme. It has won several national competitions in children’s folklore ensembles, it has been invited to important folklore celebrations, it has filmed and recorded for Czech television and radio, it has been accompanied by its own cimbalon music.  

The repertoire of the ensemble has proceeded from national traditions customs, dances, songs and playings, from the region of Wallachia in Moravia. It has brought pleasure and smiles trough its melodious songs, humorous pictures from lives of the children graceful dance performances and dynamic dances. The valuable wealth has been preserved over the years trough its effors for generations to come.