A brief categorization of Hungarian folkdances may be presented as follows:
OLD STYLE DANCES:
Dating back to the Middle Ages or earlier.
1. KARIKÁZÓ: Karikázó means circle dance, which are women’s dances mostly without music, accompanied by the singing of folksongs. These are the most archaic forms of folkdances found in Hungary.
2. UGRÓS or JUMPING DANCES:
Solo or couple dances which are accompanied by old style music with an “um-pah” rhythm [accent on the second measure]. Shepherd, solo man’s dances from Transylvania and marching dances are examples of these forms. Remnants of medieval weapon dances may also be part of this group.
3. OLD STYLE COUPLE SANCES:
Found in remote villages of Transylvania, which were away from western musical influences, usually accompanied by uneven musical tempos.
NEW STYLE DANCES:
These dances developed during the later part of the 18th Century, they also paralleled the development of a new style musical form in Hungarian culture, mostly due to fashions and influences arriving from Western Europe.
1. VERBUNK:
Solo men’s dances which evolved from the “recruiting” dances of Austro-Hungary, when recruiting into the army was conducted by professional party makers, staging big festivities to attract young lads by presenting army life as “fun”. The VERBUNK dances of today remind us of this tradition to maintain a paid army for the Empire.
2. CSÁRDÁS:
The National couple dance of the Hungarians, which in its simple form is two steps to the right and two steps to the left, followed by turning the woman around. However, its regional variations and intricate additional figures are innumerable.
MOST IMPORTANT CHARACTERISTICS OF HUNGARIAN DANCE:
1. They are almost always improvised.
2. There are specific regional variations, which are due to uneven development.
3. Most of the time the dances are closely associated with specific music, and they are important elements of community life. [They have a purpose.]
REGIONAL DIALECTS OF HUNGARIAN DANCE:
In a very broad generalization we can divide Hungarian folkdances into three geographic areas. Of course variations within these large regions are numerous.
WESTERN REGION:
From the Austrian border to the Danube River, which is essentially all of Western Hungary. Mostly new style dances are found here, generally with a “down-accented” style. Obviously this was the area that was most influenced by Western musical and dance fashions.HUNGARIAN FOLKDANCE TYPES
Submitted by Magyar Kalman
A brief categorization of Hungarian folkdances may be presented as follows:
OLD STYLE DANCES:
Dating back to the Middle Ages or earlier.
1. KARIKÁZÓ: Karikázó means circle dance, which are women’s dances mostly without music, accompanied by the singing of folksongs. These are the most archaic forms of folkdances found in Hungary.
2. UGRÓS or JUMPING DANCES:
Solo or couple dances which are accompanied by old style music with an “um-pah” rhythm [accent on the second measure]. Shepherd, solo man’s dances from Transylvania and marching dances are examples of these forms. Remnants of medieval weapon dances may also be part of this group.
3. OLD STYLE COUPLE SANCES:
Found in remote villages of Transylvania, which were away from western musical influences, usually accompanied by uneven musical tempos.
NEW STYLE DANCES:
These dances developed during the later part of the 18th Century, they also paralleled the development of a new style musical form in Hungarian culture, mostly due to fashions and influences arriving from Western Europe.
1. VERBUNK:
Solo men’s dances which evolved from the “recruiting” dances of Austro-Hungary, when recruiting into the army was conducted by professional party makers, staging big festivities to attract young lads by presenting army life as “fun”. The VERBUNK dances of today remind us of this tradition to maintain a paid army for the Empire.
2. CSÁRDÁS:
The National couple dance of the Hungarians, which in its simple form is two steps to the right and two steps to the left, followed by turning the woman around. However, its regional variations and intricate additional figures are innumerable.
MOST IMPORTANT CHARACTERISTICS OF HUNGARIAN DANCE:
1. They are almost always improvised.
2. There are specific regional variations, which are due to uneven development.
3. Most of the time the dances are closely associated with specific music, and they are important elements of community life. [They have a purpose.]
REGIONAL DIALECTS OF HUNGARIAN DANCE:
In a very broad generalization we can divide Hungarian folkdances into three geographic areas. Of course variations within these large regions are numerous.
WESTERN REGION:
From the Austrian border to the Danube River, which is essentially all of Western Hungary. Mostly new style dances are found here, generally with a “down-accented” style. Obviously this was the area that was most influenced by Western musical and dance fashions.
TISZA REGION:
From the Danube River traveling East to the Romanian boarder, both sides of the Tisza River. This area preserved many old style dances, but new style forms are also abundant. The Szatmár [North Eastern] Region may exhibit the “most characteristic” form of Csárdás. The dances are usually “up-accented” style, meaning that the first movement is in an upward direction to the first measure of music.
TRANSYLVANIAN REGION:
Politically this area constitutes the Western part of Romania at this time, but we can find the most versatile and beautiful, often archaic folkdances which were preserved here due to the political and geographical isolation from western influences. All forms of dances may be found here, but they are specific to small geographic areas or even specific villages. The uneven development of music and folkdance is most interesting and exciting in this region, research is still uncovering new findings.
TISZA REGION:
From the Danube River traveling East to the Romanian boarder, both sides of the Tisza River. This area preserved many old style dances, but new style forms are also abundant. The Szatmár [North Eastern] Region may exhibit the “most characteristic” form of Csárdás. The dances are usually “up-accented” style, meaning that the first movement is in an upward direction to the first measure of music.
TRANSYLVANIAN REGION:
Politically this area constitutes the Western part of Romania at this time, but we can find the most versatile and beautiful, often archaic folkdances which were preserved here due to the political and geographical isolation from western influences. All forms of dances may be found here, but they are specific to small geographic areas or even specific villages. The uneven development of music and folkdance is most interesting and exciting in this region, research is still uncovering new findings.