The Ballet Company of Győr’s miniFestival kicked off today at 9 am at the company’s Studio.

First, Patrik Engelbrecht held WobbelYoga which improved the muscles and balance of the kids as well as their imagination.

Balancing on the Wobbel board, the little ones could become planes, butterflies, kings or queens, while turning the board around, they could imagine walking over a bridge.

The miniBalett class, held by Judit Szalai, was equally playful. The children received an imaginary crown to make their posture more elegant, imaginary ants could run under their knees and they could create cats’ paws with their feet.

To be honest, it was difficult only to sit and watch these classes, I also wanted some magical mermaid powder sprinkled on my ankles… Dear Ballet Company of Győr, would it be possible to organise playful dance sessions for grown-ups next year? I don’t think I would be the only attendant.

At 10 am, the 7^th Children’s Dance Festival closed with Four Seasons by Company Yvette Bozsik. Similarly to Teletubbies (some characters even reminded me of them), the production was focusing on colours, shapes, simple and funny movements, while in music, babies’ voices and giggles drew the children’s attention.

The adventures of a girl (Tímea Fülöp) and her colourful friends (Dóra Hasznos and Szabolcs Gombai) come to life through four seasons; in spring with cushioned flowers, in summer with a beach ball, and the dance of a ladybird and a duck, in autumn wellington boots and an umbrella appear along with a bear and a mushroom, and in winter with the snowball fight played by the snowman and a rabbit. In front of me, two babies were absorbing the show in silence, completely captivated. There was only a little cry when it started raining on stage…I think even adults could relate to that. :)

At the miniFestival, Maszkabál (Fancy Dress Ball) by the Ballet Company of Győr, could be seen three times. Click here to read more about the show: Becoming A Child Again - Itt vagyok a Magyar Táncfesztiválon... (blog.hu)

In the evening, on the Main Stage, Duna Art Ensemble’s performace, Seven Towers, evoked the Hungarian architect, Imre Makovecz.

His fairytale-like forms and motifs, in harmony with nature, are part of the set design. The show, however, is more than a simple remembrance. It is life itself with its cycles and duality. Beginning and end, day and night, man and woman, prison and freedom, solitude and community – all in line with Makovecz’s living house concept, symbolising the continuity of space and time, willing to connect heaven and earth.

The music, performed by Péter Novák, Etnofon and Göncöl Ensemble, has its folkloric routes but with added contemporary elements such as rock music or tango. Accordingly, the choreography, created by numerous choreographers, is made up of sequences of traditional and contemporary movements, the circle dance of opposites.

At the Kisfaludy Room, Don Quijote by Feledi Project made an invitation to the world of illusions.

The show started with Minkus’ music, but it would be delusional to assume that the show will have any strong connection with the classical ballet piece or Cervantes’ novel. We find ourselves as a jury at the audition for the role of Don Quijote.

Three candidates are in competition: Máton Csuzi, Patrik Keresztes and László Takács. What makes someone Don Quijote? Long legs? Or having a windmill as the personal sign at the Kindergarten? Or being able to speak a bit of Spanish? Stand-up comedy and dance, illusion and reality alternate in the play – except for Don Quijote who cannot and doesn’t want to face the real world.

On the open-air stage, Háromszék Dance Ensemble took the audience for a walk down memory lane. Dance Alley, through choreographies of 30 years, presented the company’s past, present and rich experiences.

The production was followed by a traditional dance house which – curiously in harmony with today’s theme – finished with circle dances…

Photos by Béla Szabó