| Dancing provided the primary source of | | | | evolution of countryside dance life. |
| recreation for village people before the | | | | Craftsmen, soldiers, maids returning from |
| electronic entertainment forms of the modern | | | | town built the elements of civil fashion |
| world penetrated filtered into the lives of | | | | dances in their homeland's dance |
| the tiniest settlements. | | | | choreography. Dance traditions of the |
| | | | neighbouring countries have also shaped |
| The captivating motions accompanied by music | | | | Hungarian folk dances. In Transylvania, where |
| and/or singing is a spectacular visualization | | | | Hungarians, Romanians, and Saxons lived |
| of the Hungarian people's rich emotional | | | | together, adoption of each other's dances was |
| world which they strive to preserve in spite | | | | inevitable. The dance heritage of Bukovina in |
| of the unstoppable spread of modern | | | | Transylvania reflects several ethnic |
| lifestyle. | | | | influences (German, Romanian, Russian, |
| | | | Hucul). |
| Singing folk songs and dancing enlivened not | | | | |
| just country people's holidays but it brought | | | | In terms of regional aspect three main |
| some cheerfulness in their workdays, too. | | | | dialects developed in Hungarian dance |
| Dancing was also an integral part of a wide | | | | culture: |
| range of social occasions. It provided an | | | | |
| effective forum for group and couple | | | | - The characteristic dances of the Western or |
| interaction including courtship. | | | | Danube dance dialect are the shepherd and |
| | | | jumping dances, verbunk, |
| In order to get along in a village one had to | | | | leánykarikázó (women's cicle dance), |
| have good dancing skills. A lad with skillful | | | | slow and quick csárdás and the |
| dancing ability tended to be more popular | | | | colourful palette of wedding dances. |
| with lasses and vice versa. Parents and the | | | | |
| elderly members of the village community | | | | - The Central or Tisza region preserved many |
| prompted youngsters to acquire and preserve | | | | old style dances along with a wide range of |
| folk traditions as means of strengthening | | | | new style dances: shepherd dances, stick |
| social integrity. | | | | dances, leánykarikázó, jumping |
| | | | dances, verbunk, slow and quick csárdás |
| Hungarian folk dances can be divided into two | | | | and the osztótánc from the wedding |
| main categories: | | | | dances. |
| | | | |
| 1. Old style dances dating back to the Middle | | | | - The Eastern or Transylvania region has the |
| Ages | | | | most versatile and archaic dance heritage due |
| | | | to the isolation of this area from Western |
| Jumping dances (ugrós): solo or couple | | | | influences. |
| dances accompanied by old style music, | | | | |
| shepherd and other solo man's dances from | | | | Communism didn't oppressed folk dancing, on |
| Transylvania, and marching dances along with | | | | the contrary the era added new impetus to the |
| remnants of medieval weapon dances belong in | | | | development of dances. The dance house |
| this group. Karikázó, a circle dance | | | | movement started in the 70ies became very |
| performed by women only accompanied by | | | | popular with young people living in towns in |
| singing of folksongs | | | | no time. Bands and ensembles formed, amateurs |
| | | | set out to collect the remaining traditions |
| 2. New style dances developed in the 18-19. | | | | of folk dance and music in the countryside |
| centuries | | | | while looking for their roots. |
| | | | |
| Verbunk, a solo man's dance evolved from the | | | | The choreographies were resurrected in dance |
| recruiting performances of the | | | | houses where anybody could learn the basic |
| Austro-Hungarian army. Csárdás the | | | | steps then practice them by joining the other |
| national couple dance of Hungary which seems | | | | enthusiasts on the dance floor. The dance |
| deceptively simple with its to steps to the | | | | house phenomena evolved into a movement |
| right and two steps to the left, followed by | | | | acknowledged and known all worldwide |
| turning the woman around choreography however | | | | enriching the world of folk music and dance |
| numerous regional variations have developed | | | | with talents like Márta Sebestyén, or |
| since the 19th century. | | | | the Muzsikás Band. |
| | | | |
| Couple dances formed the core of community | | | | The fact that the Hungarian name of the |
| entertainment because of their lively step | | | | movement without the accents (tanchaz) rooted |
| patterns. The most popular couple dance is | | | | in the English language demonstrates the |
| the csárdás which became known as the | | | | popularity of the movement the best. |
| national dance of Hungary all over the world. | | | | |
| Besides csárdás and its variations the | | | | The political changes started in 1989 |
| so-called jumping dances, twirl dances from | | | | facilitated the preserving of folk traditions |
| Transylvania and other old style slow dances | | | | even more. Folk dance schools were founded, |
| were also favoured. Solo man's dances existed | | | | folk dance lessons became part of school |
| as integral part of dance life until the I. | | | | lectures, and the Hungarian Dance Academy |
| world war. | | | | launched a folk dance course. Today many |
| | | | civil associations, festivals (National |
| Only the most talented lads were able to | | | | Tanchaz Festival) and countless folk |
| learn and master some of the dances that | | | | ensembles (both professional and amateur) |
| required outstanding skillfulness (verbunk, | | | | cultivate folk dance traditions in Hungary. |
| jumping dances). Some man's dances became | | | | |
| part of the dance repertoire in certain parts | | | | Through the performances of the three most |
| of the country even after the I. world war | | | | successful representatives of Hungarian folk |
| (Rábaköz: verbunk, karéj, dus, | | | | dance culture (Hungarian National Folk |
| Northeast Hungary certain verbunk varieties: | | | | Ensemble, Danube Folk Ensemble and the |
| sarkantyús verbunk, magyar verbunk). | | | | Rakjó Folk Ensemble) you can learn about |
| | | | and became a fan of this colourful art form. |
| Along with entertainment dances, certain | | | | The 3 ensembles look back to more than |
| rituals, customs (weddings, harvest, vintage) | | | | 50-year professional past. They conquered the |
| had their own characteristic dances, as well. | | | | heart of their audience in numerous countries |
| Weddings were regarded as prominent social | | | | evoking and making memorable to them the rich |
| happenings in villages, the events of which | | | | folklore treasures of Hungary. The ensembles' |
| lived vividly in people's memories for long. | | | | versatile repertoire has preserved many |
| | | | precious dances which would have been |
| External influences had significant impact on | | | | forgotten otherwise. |