Based on the feedback received, the 2024 International Summer Intensive Ballet Course organised by the Hungarian Dance University was undoubtedly a great success. Anita Magyar, former member of the Scala Ballet Company in Milan and one of the popular guest teachers of the course, and Tamás Nagy, adjunct professor at the university and former principal dancer of the Dutch National Ballet were interviewed about this year’s International Summer Intensive Ballet Course.
It takes time to create and build a high-quality international event. Step by step, the event needs to be refined and fine-tuned, and like dance, it can always be better. This is the path that the team of the Hungarian Dance University is following. In 2024, the International Summer Intensive Ballet Course was completed with almost twice as many participants as in the previous year with a considerable international interest and under the guidance of world-renowned masters.
Photos by Pál Csillag (HDU)
Tamás Nagy, President of the Arts Council of the Hungarian Dance University said that he believes that the university managed to organise a great summer course. He added that “it was a special pleasure that the campus of the university was also crowded in the summer, and it was a useful educational space during these weeks.”
Speaking about the specific experience, Tamás Nagy first highlighted the growth seen in the number of applicants.
“A total of 86 young students from all over the world participated in the event. We had students coming from many countries in Europe, Japan, China and the United States. On behalf of the whole university, I can say that we are delighted to see so many people coming to the event and I believe this can be attributed to the quality of our course. As in previous years, in addition to our own instructors, this year we have invited renowned international masters, Adel Bálint and Anita Magyari as a Hungarian from England and Italy; Gregor Hatala from Austria; Neel Verdoorn from the Netherlands and Kim Ji-Young from South Korea. I am proud that the Hungarian Dance University has once again implemented a high-quality international programme.”
The Gyula Harangozó Award-winning dance artist Tamás Nagy also added that it was important that many people worked at a high level for the success of the event, and among them he highlighted the work of Tamás Csizmadia, the head ballet master, who worked with great heart and enthusiasm, solving everyone’s problems.
Anita Magyari, a prima ballerina who currently runs a private ballet school in Milan, Italy, and was previously a member of the Scala Ballet company in Milan, looks back on the atmosphere and the professional work positively. The popular ballet artist was happy to be back teaching in Budapest, having spent “a wonderful 10-12 days” in the Hungarian capital.
“I was pleased to see that the level of the event was very high and the organisation was professional. It was good to work with young people and I can say that from here you could really choose young artists for the Budapest Ballet Grand Prix.”
As regards the course, she said the following.
“First and foremost, it is interesting and valuable because you can learn new things. In addition, participants can try their hand under the professional supervision of several dancers of a similar age but from different backgrounds, and under the supervision of several renowned masters. They can learn new things, make new connections and see what’s happening in the world. When I was young, I didn’t have that in Hungary, and I would have loved to go myself, but it was a different world then.”
As Anita Magyari explained, it often happens that people don’t progress as they would like to, but their talent is better recognised elsewhere.
“There may be more or better opportunities for a young person in another place. Every master is different and one may see a new character in him or her. This is very useful and a common phenomenon. There are many schools and an artist should always be looking for the new one, the one that suits him or her the best.”
We also wanted to know her opinion about where she thinks dance is in the world today, and how strong she thinks the art form is in Hungary as a whole.
“In my opinion, many people don’t really know how much work, preparation and dedication it takes to dance in a serious company. It takes sacrifice and a lot of work. But self-sacrifice is not quite the right word, because in dance we are talking about love, about something that comes first, that is the most important thing in your life. I believe that the art of dance has a great impact, shaping the whole of the human nature. That is why dance will always be ‘first among the arts’.”
The Rector of the Hungarian Dance University, Professor Fodor-Molnár Márta thanked personally Master Anita Magyari in a letter and all the excellent teachers, organizers and renowned guest teachers for their participation in the highly successful International Summer Intensive Ballet Course.
The team of the International Summer Intensive Ballet Course is already working to bring more world-renowned masters to the 2025 edition of the course next summer, with an even more colourful programme. Organisers also hope that eve more members of the university’s growing partner institution network will be involved.
