The joint record-breaking attempt of the National Student and Recreational Sports Association and the Hungarian Dance University was successful at Kossuth tér, Budapest as part of the European Sports Week. Approximately 600 children aged 10-14 danced at the same time to a common choreography.
Under the guidance of the Hungarian Dance University, participants first set the Hungarian record for folk dance, and then broke the Hungarian record for round dance in front of the Hungarian Parliament building. The event was spectacular and breathtaking, and it was a great way to promote folk dance and the art of dance.
István Sebestyén, registrar of Hungarian records stated that the record for the number of people dancing to the same choreography at the same place at the same time was set, and then almost 1,500 people participated in the Moldavian Csángó dance, thus breaking the previous Hungarian dance circle record.
Zsófia Nagy-Vargha, Deputy State Secretary for Youth of the Ministry of Culture and Innovation (KIM) which was the primary sponsor of the event said that the large-scale event succeeded in demonstrating the power of dance.
Katalin Balatoni, folk dance teacher, Deputy State Secretary for Public Education and patron of the event said:
“The aim of the initiative is to express our Hungarianness and identity as Hungarian culture is very rich on a global scale. Folk dance is now integrated into the pedagogical process, and it also serves to develop competences.”
The large-scale folk dance event was organised by the National Student and Recreational Sports Association and the Hungarian Dance University as part of the main events of the European Sports Week that encourages healthy lifestyles and regular physical activity.
Dr Balázs Hankó, Minister of Culture and Innovation and János Kiss, Kossuth Prize-winning ballet artist and Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Hungarian Dance University played a major role in the realisation of the idea of the event. However, the students, teachers, staff and Dóra Keszi from the Arts Management Department of the university have also done a lot to make the idea a reality in recent weeks.
Photo by Koszticsák Szilárd/MTI/MTVA/Pál Csillag
