Rehearsal for children

The artistic director of the Karpatok Hungarian Folk Ensemble, Kovacs, will start rehearsing with the children starting tomorrow January 9th. Please pass this information along to friends and families to join the Buzavirag Children Group. Kovacs has been teaching children for many years all over Los Angeles. He is also a teacher for dance at the Fullerton Unified School District and the Music Center.

Rehearsal starts 6:45 p.m. every Wednesday at the Magyar Haz on 1975 W. Washington Blvd. Los Angeles. Corner of Ardmore and Washington. Parking is off of Ardmore.

Livia Gaspar
Director
Buzavirag Hungarian Chilren Ensemble

The Hungarian State Folk Ensemble is on a 3 months long tour across the USA and Canada

One of the best folk dance ensembles in Hungary, the traditionally-costumed ensemble authentically presents the Hungarian folk music which inspired Hungarian and international classical composers such as Liszt, Brahms, Kodály and Bartók.

Founded in 1951, the company's rich and colorful repertoire has earned its well-deserved reputation as one of the top touring troupes. With over 30 dancers and both folk and gypsy orchestras, ".every dance crackled with high speed" - New York Times

Have a look at our gallery. Our former dancer and the Hungarian State Folk Ensemble.

World-renowned Hungarian State Folk Ensemble
to perform Mondavi with authentic dance and music

Touted as one of the world's greatest folkloric dance troupes by The Washington Post and described as "vivacious" and "colorful" by Don Roth, executive director of the Mondavi Center, the Hungarian State Folk Ensemble is bringing a rapturous and spirited performance of traditional folk dances, costumes and music.

The Hungarian State Folk Ensemble was established in 1951. Its aims were to collect and play authentic folk music and to preserve the folk dances and traditional costumes of Hungarian-inhabited areas by putting them on stage for the public.

The itinerary for the show includes traditional couple's dances, war dances, czardas -- dances including men and women in which the women wear traditional wide skirts that billow out into distinctive shapes when they twirl -- and men's dances that require much virtuosity.

The first half of the performance will be done in contemporary costume, mirroring the dancers in current Hungary, while the second half will be more traditional, consisting of a wine glass balancing on top of the head, whips and leather boots.

"Many of these dances from the Middle Ages were rooted in the military, depending on the region, the music may start off with a men's recruiting dance. The officers would come to the village and show some fairly complex slapping rhythms and get the men to imitate the dances to see how intelligent the guys were and if they could do well in the military."

The Folk Orchestra, made up of an intimate five musicians playing authentic instruments and traditional Hungarian folk music, is one of two instrumental ensembles to accompany the dancers. The 14-member Gipsy Orchestra will also play the traditional music that has inspired classical composers such as Franz Liszt, Bella Bartok and Johannes Brahms.

"Classical music as a whole has been inspired by folk music. This event will be a great opportunity for music lovers to explore the roots and inspirations of composers such as Brahms and Bartok, allowing them to enjoy these classical composers with even more zest and gusto."

During the more than five decades of its existence, the Ensemble has achieved its aim by revitalizing the culture of the Hungarian people. Their rich and colourful repertoire entitled the Ensemble to be regarded as one of the top touring groups in the world. It has performed in 44 countries across four continents and won the admiration of an audience of more than seven and a half million people. In the last few years the Ensemble encountered special interest in the United States and Canada - which was illustrated by their fourth invitation to undertake a three-month coast to coast American tour in 1994. They have also toured the Far East and Western Europe. The Ensemble consists of 30 dancers, 14 members of the Gipsy Orchestra and 5 members of the Folk Orchestra. The choreographies are all based on authentic dances, some of them were collected in isolated villages with dance elements dating back hundreds of years.

The extraordinary folk music that inspired Liszt, Bartók and Kodály is put on stage by both the Folk Orchestra and the world-famous Gipsy Orchestra. The 5 members of the Folk Orchestra play authentic, traditional instruments and perform Hungarian folk music at its highest artistic level. The famous Gipsy Orchestra plays both dance accompaniments and performs alone. Their rich repertoire includes folk music which inspired Hungarian and international classical composers such as Liszt, Brahms, Kodály and Bartók.

sources:

The California Aggie online Hungariakoncert