Hungarian dance cycles?
Robin C. LaPasha
I have some questions about Hungarian tanchaz dancing.
I am enamored of it but don't know all that much about it.
(I know some Hungarian dances, have seen others, but I've never
learned the, uh, freestyle format. Just heard the music
from Muszikas, Sebo, Teka, etc..)
1. Specifically - what constitutes a cycle, and what does that imply?
a) I have heard of the "mezoszeg" cycle, the Paloc (or is it Bag?)
cycle, etc.. Is a cycle a group of different dances from a region?
b) If so... I also would like to know which types of dances are
in such a cycle, and if I have a vaguely correct idea of their
general types:
karikazo = women's circle dance (i.e. somogyi)?
verbunk = men's dance, macho and sometimes military
(i.e. gensci)?
kortanc = ?
ugros = circle dance ... (i.e. delafoldi, dudalas es...)?
csardas =
lassu (slow?) \ couple dances with
friss (fast?) / csardas (and often rida) step
2. How many major regions are there, with their own well-defined cycles?
3. Do folks in Hungarian tanchazes (as opposed to Americans...) do
just the local cycle, or the cycle the band is playing, or...?
4. Do folks in Hungary "dress up" in traditional costume for the
evening, or is it more like open contra dancing in America (as I
recall it 10 years ago in the Pacific NW,) where you come in jeans
and learn the dances there?
Go ahead and post if you can answer these (could get some discussion
going...)
Robin
--
Robin LaPasha |Keeper of the Amiga
rus...@ecsvax.uncecs.edu |Hypermedia Mailing List
Christopher G. Matthews
In response to a previous inquiry regarding Hungarian dancing:
The national dance of Hungary is the csardas. However, there exist
many regional dances from Hungary and Transyvania (formerly a part of
Hungary and still consisting of many ethnic Hungarians).
In these modern times, there remain very few places were the regional
dances are done. Younger Hungarians prefer disco and rock music. However,
there are many groups which preserve the traditional dances. The many folk
dance groups of Hungary is but one example. Another is the tanchaz.
Tanchaz (tanc = dance, haz = house) dancing still thrives in many places
of Hungary, especially in Budapest where one can easily find tanchaz dancing
every night of the week. Large groups of dancers attend to dance, drink,
and socialize. The clothing of choice is, surprisingly, street clothes. The
dancers wear sneakers, shorts, t-shirts, whatever they are comfortable in.
The dances done at tanchazak (hazak = houses) consist of the many regional
dances. The dances are usually done in cycles(tancrend). A cycle is a
group of dances from a particular region. Each cycle usually consists of
a men's dance, a slow couple's dance and a fast couple's dance, although
there are many variations on this.
Some terminology:
tanc = dance (pl. tancok)
dal = song
zene = music
verbunk = men's "recruiting" dance (soldiers were once recruited based on
their ability to dance) - usually a very macho dance, but in some
regions it has become very stylized.
legenyes = lad's dance. Usually done as a competitive dance.
pontozo = "point scoring" dance - another men's dance a la legenyes.
karikazo = women's circle dance - frequently done a capella (singing w/o music)
kortanc = circle dance (kor = circle)
csardas = part of the couple dance (as well as a step)
lassu csardas = slow csardas
friss csardas = fast (lit. "fresh") csardas
szapora = quick dance
cigany = gypsy dance (usually fast)
There are numerous other terms of course. I will (if anybody is interested)
post a more complete list later. Suggestions or queries welcome.
Also, I will post an extensive list of regional dances with the parts of
each cycle. A partial list of regions: Mezoseg, Szatmar, Lorincreve,
Szek, Szekely, Gyimes, Tolna, Hortobagy, Delafold, Bag, Kalotaszeg,
Mezokolpeny, Rabakoz, Boncida, Tiszahat, Zemplen, Kapuvar, + others.
Meyer Billmers
We just finished learning a delightful "cycle" of Bagi dances from Andor
Czompo at Pinewoods, consisting of a Karikazo, a Verbunk and a fast Csardas.
During his culture corner, however, someone asked Andor why he refused to
use the term "cycle" in connection with these dances. His answer was that
they are in fact done in order in the tanchazak, but since they do not
return to where they started, he (rather fervently, I might add) believed they
should correctly be called "sequences" rather than "cycles".
Christopher G. Matthews
as "dance order" (rend = order). I'm not sure where or how the
translation "cycle" came into being.