by Andor Czompo
Dr. George Martin, one of the most prominent folklore scientists, has divided the Hungarian folk dances into two major categories: the old layer of dances
dating back to the Middle Ages, and the relatively new layer, which developed in the 18th and 19th centuries. In the old layer the weapon dances and dances closely related to them, the ax and stick dances, are still danced today by shepherds and gypsies. Kanasz Tánc is an example of this old type of dance. Another dance type which belongs to the old layer includes the "jumping" dances. The term "jumping" here names a dance family, and does not necessarily indicate the characteristic movement in the dances. Dr. Martin believes the "jumping" dances originate from the same source as the weapon dances, but in this dance family no implement was used, and because of this, more dance-like footwork developed. Ciganytánc and the first half of Szenyeri Paros belong to this dance family.

Between the old and new layers there is a dance type which preserves a very old dance form, namely, the chain and circle forms which were popular all
over Europe during the Middle Ages. The Hungarians call them karikazo (karika = ring). The dances in this category are mainly girls' dances. The csárdás which developed in the 19th century strongly influenced this dance form, especially with the new-style csárdás music. With this music several steps and step patterns slowly carried over from the csárdás into the circle dances.
Dunafalvi Leanytánc and Bagi Karikazo illustrate this dance type; also Lakodalmi Tánc, which has some ritualistic significance.

Among the new dance types is the verbunk. These dances developed in the military recruiting system of the Austro-Hungarian monarchy in the 18th and 19th centuries. The early verbunki dances still retained many characteristics of the "ugros" dance type. A later development in the 19th century resulted in the present form of these dances. In this development the new type of verbunk music played an important role. Nagykonyi Verbunk and Gencsi Verbunk represent this military-style dance. The csárdás, born as ballroom dance in the first half of the 19th century, was based on the couple dances of the peasant. This ballroom csárdás served to satisfy the need for a truly national dance among the aristocracy, and later for the middle class. In the 20th century the ballroom csárdás lost its popularity considerably. However, among the peasants, the couple dance form remained quite popular. Until the Second World War the peasants continued to use the name "csárdás" as a general term for the couple dances. Due to circumstances which are still under investigation, the peasant csárdás reflects a great variety of different styles. As a very broad generalization, in Western Hungary, the dancers emphasize vertical movements, in eastern Hungary, including Transylvania, horizontal movements are characteristics. In the middle area of Hungary on the Great Hungarian Plain and in northern Hungary (Paloc Land), these two styles overlap, giving a broadness in variety to the csárdás. The traditional csárdás has two parts: a long slow part and short fast part. The above-mentioned differences, by geographical area, stand out particularly in the fast part of the csárdás.