Győr, this beautiful baroque jewellery box, celebrates the 750th anniversary of its city charter this year. The last two nights of the 16th Hungarian Dance Festival were dedicated to the anniversary.

On Saturday the Hungarian amateur folk dance movement greeted the city, the heroic health care workers and the legendary Ferenc Novák “Tata”, director of the evening, patron of the festival, who celebrated his 90th birthday earlier this year. Seven significant amateur folk dance groups and Győr’s young dancers performed at Széchenyi Square in the programme Dances of the Carpathian Basin, accompanied by the Bekecs Ensemble. Each company presented a region from Hungary and another one from across the borders.

The performers were János Bihari Dance Ensemble founded by Ferenc Novák, Vadrózsa Dance Ensemble of Angyalföld, Vasas Art Ensemble’s Dance Company, Budapest Bartók Dance Ensemble, Corvinus Folk Dance Ensemble, Szentendre Dance Ensemble, Dezső Fitos Company and Lippentő Dance Ensemble of Győr. Beautiful traditional outfits and dances followed one another from all the four corners of Hungary and beyond, enchanting the audience with dashing, lively choreographies performed with much humour and even more heart. Generations danced together with great enthusiasm, legs and feet couldn’t refrain from following the rhythms, not only on stage but in the auditorium too.

On Sunday the celebration continued with the gala evening Győr 750, opened by the Mayor Prof. Dr Csaba András Dézsi who remembered the city’s historical role and talked about the present, emphasising the importance of culture and the dance festival.

Ballet Company of Győr

The programme started with the production of the Ballet Company of Győr, created by the director, László Velekei for this special occasion. On the screen, pictures of the old and current city alternated, the waving movements of the dancers implied that they were also crossing from one timeline to another. Then we switched to folk dance for the rest of the evening. Dance Canon – Hommage à Zoltán Kodály performed by the Hungarian State Folk Ensemble took over the stage, followed by the energetic excerpt of Seven Towers, the latest show of Duna Art Ensemble. We took an imaginary trip to Transylvania guided by Maros Art Ensemble who presented the most beautiful dances of the village Kibéd (Chibed) – it was a true, fine authentic and poetic performance. Last but not least, the Hungarian National Dance Ensemble closed the gala with cheeky and virtuoso gipsy dances, traditional dances from Dél-Alföld (in South Hungary) and Kossuth-variations, evoking Lajos Kossuth, the Hungarian freedom fighter of the 19th century.

Maros Art Ensemble

History and traditions, present times and revival were the main themes of the evening and watching the different regions’ dances made me feel that everyone within Hungary and beyond joined in celebrating the city of Győr.

The Hungarian Dance Festival will be back next year, hopefully, in its full glory again. See you in 2022!

Photos by Béla Szabó