The program came to Budapest after Slovenia and Croatia, and it was a fitting final stop of the series. The main partner of the Creative Europe project was the Central Europe Dance Theatre. HDU joined as an educational institution and external partner, together with theatres and universities from countries such as Sweden, Poland, Romania, Croatia, and Slovenia. From HDU, Virág Sóthy and Anita Lanszki took part in organizing the programs.

The three-day event included third-year students from the Academy of Fine Arts in Krakow, first-year contemporary dance students from Zagreb, and first-year fashion dance students from HDU TEP.

The program included three professional workshops. One was led by our former student Réka Gyevnár, and the other two were led by university lecturers Dr Gabriella Kézér and Dávid Dudás.

The event ended with a very successful performance by the students.

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Yunoka Inoue finished second in the senior category, and also received several scholarships at the International Ballet Competition Belgium.

“The competition was a wonderful opportunity for learning and development,” said the university’s Japanese student. “The warm-up before the performance and observing the other participants were both very inspiring and motivating for us.”

Yuina Takagaki also finished second in the junior category and likewise received scholarship opportunities.

“This experience was very valuable for my development. I am grateful to my parents and teachers for their support.”

The International Ballet Competition Belgium aims to provide dancers with the opportunity to compete against others in their age group. The competition also seeks to serve as a stepping stone for all emerging dancers.

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The lecture titled The Russian Ballet began with a comprehensive introduction to cultural history, in which the speaker explored the fascinating connections between dance, music history, and fashion. In his analysis, he traced the influence of ballet on clothing styles from the ballet shoes of Louis XIV to the era of Coco Chanel, highlighting how stage aesthetics shaped everyday fashion. He also drew parallels with the attire of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Ludwig van Beethoven, and Béla Bartók in discussing the evolution of everyday dress.

Photo by UGA Today

In connection with The Russian Ballet, the lecture also discussed major productions whose reviews appeared in contemporary fashion magazines. These articles contributed to the popularity of the works and to the growing reputation of the Ballets Russes, established by Sergei Diaghilev, while also influencing the development of fashion through the performers’ costumes.

The presentation further explored the ballets from Igor Stravinsky’s Russian period, along with several other landmark works. Special attention was devoted to Jeux by Claude Debussy, which, beyond its significance in music and dance history, also introduced an innovative direction in contemporary sporty, tennis-inspired fashion. Another fascinating example was Parade by Erik Satie, for which Pablo Picasso designed the costumes and stage sets, further strengthening the dialogue between different artistic disciplines.

Through its rich examples and insightful connections, the lecture vividly demonstrated how the histories of dance, music, and fashion are intricately intertwined. The audience had the opportunity to take part in an inspiring and thought-provoking event that opened up new perspectives on understanding the relationships between the arts.

Cover photo by Lili Várhegyi

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Not long ago, on her 70th birthday, we were still sending her our best wishes, and we all hoped that she would recover. She truly deserved to spend her later years in peace and in love, surrounded by her family and her beloved students, after the hardships of recent years. Sadly, since Saturday we have known that this is no longer possible.

On 15 March, she was no longer able to receive in person the Knight’s Cross of the Hungarian Order of Merit (civilian division), awarded “in recognition of her work in promoting the interests of the nation and enriching universal human values,” a distinction she had more than earned.

We can no longer “rely on her humane and professional advice, her opinion, and her invaluable expertise”, as we still hoped in her September birthday greetings.

Gitta Reich, who preferred to use her name in this form, was one of the most highly regarded répétiteurs and music teachers in the 75-year history of the Hungarian Dance University.

She accompanied hundreds of ballet students in their daily classes and in the examinations that defined their careers. She supported generations of teachers on their path toward becoming musically educated and musically sensitive educators, and as a pianist and a true Wise Teacher, she had a profound influence on many of our professional lives.

We will keep in our hearts, with “unceasing gratitude,” the memory, the loving presence, and the professional legacy of Gitta Reich.

After graduating from the Liszt Ferenc Academy of Music, she became a member of our institution’s faculty on 26 November 1979. She always proudly identified herself as a répétiteur, even though she performed some of the most demanding works of the classical repertoire on the stage of the Hungarian State Opera House during final examinations of graduating ballet students. These included movements from Shostakovich’s Piano Concerto No. 2, Prokofiev’s Sarcasms, the Adagio of Beethoven’s Hammerklavier Sonata, and the piano part of Dohnányi’s Variations on a Nursery Song (the latter two performed on two occasions), as well as serving as a creative partner in the premiere performance of John Cage’s In a Landscape at the Vigadó.

A titular associate professor of the Hungarian Dance University, she had previously led the piano accompaniment department and the Music and Music Theory Department on several occasions. She delivered professional development courses for our répétiteurs and taught in numerous national and international courses and foreign teacher training programs (Teramo 2006, Oslo 2012, Maribor 2017).

She worked alongside colleagues such as Jacqueline Menyhárt, Katalin Sebestyén, Edit Handel, Imre Dózsa, Mária Bretus, and Szilárd Macher in qualification examinations, and she was a devoted, refined, and musically sensitive supporter of the examinations of Adol Hamzin and Pál Csillag as well. In teacher training, she also taught the subject Ballet Music – Accompaniment Repertoire.

Awards:
Lőrinc György Prize (2002)
Golden Cross of Merit of the Republic of Hungary (2004)
Dance Art Award of the Hungarian Dance Artists Association (2019)
Knight’s Cross of the Hungarian Order of Merit (2026)

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We are inviting applications from girls and boys aged 10–12 for the Classical Ballet specialization of the university.

Alongside professional dance training, students receive their general education at the university’s eight-year Nádasi Ferenc Secondary School, from 5th grade through to graduation. All in one institution: dance plus academic subjects, and for students from outside the area, accommodation is provided from age 10 in the university’s on-campus dormitory.

Gradual training: from childhood to a professional career. Opportunity to pursue studies up to obtaining a degree (BA in Dance).

Important: Applying does not mean starting university studies, but entering an age-appropriate, multi-level training program conducted within a university framework, which, upon successful completion, leads to a higher education (BA) degree in dance.

Date of the supplementary entrance exams: May 9, 2026.

REGISTRATION LINK

For more information about the dance program, please contact academic officer Renáta Gönczi by phone at +36 1 273 3449 or +36 20 383 5761.
E-mail: gonczi.renata@mte.eu

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The aim of the event is to provide young dancers with an opportunity for international exposure and networking. In previous years in Lecce, students of HDU achieved excellent results, and master teacher Mónika Barna maintains a strong relationship with the organizers as she has been a jury member of this prestigious event for many years.

The 12th International Ballet and Contemporary Dance Competition “Domenico Modugno” is named after a true legend of Puglia (Apulia). Domenico Modugno was the first Italian singer-songwriter and actor to gain worldwide recognition, and he later became a member of the Italian Parliament.

He is best known for his 1958 international hit Nel blu dipinto di blu (“In the Blue Painted Blue”), for which he received the first Grammy Awards in the categories of Record of the Year and Song of the Year. The song remains widely known to this day and is considered one of the most iconic expressions of the “Italian national spirit.”

The 6th-year students were prepared and accompanied to the competition by master teacher Mónika Barna.

• At the event, Lilla Medgyesi won 3rd prize with the Medora variation from Le Corsaire.
• Jázmin Balogh placed among the top five with the female variation from Diana and Actaeon.
• Barka Benedek received a scholarship to the Barcelona Dance Project with Noémi Kulcsár’s choreography Mystery Tales.

Unfortunately, Barka was injured during a ballet workshop before the competition, so she was unable to perform the classical variation. However, she showed great determination and performed admirably in the contemporary category.

All three HDU students were awarded scholarships to summer courses in Barcelona and Bucharest, as was Kitti Hajszán with the choreography Libertá.

Congratulations to the students and their teachers!

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To support the floor expansion, the Ministry of Culture and Innovation has provided 250 million HUF, while the Hungarian Dance University Foundation, which maintains the institution, has contributed 600 million HUF. The university itself has added nearly 1.2 billion HUF from its own funds to the project.

In addition, through the energy modernization component of the RRF 2.1.2-21-2022-00036 project titled “Modern Buildings and Innovative Education in the Service of Dance Art,” the institution will provide a significantly higher-quality learning environment for its students.

“The investment contributes to ensuring that the University can offer its students a high-standard educational and artistic environment that meets international expectations. The contracted amount of support for the project is nearly 1.5 billion HUF,” said Márta-Fodor Molnár, university professor and rector of the institution, in her welcome speech at the well-attended briefing.

The rector also emphasized that the university aims to remain a key institution for dance education in Central Europe by 2030.

“Our objective is clear and well-defined, and I believe we are making good progress toward achieving it. That is why it is important that our training facilities are being expanded with such new and modern spaces.”

The event was also attended by Anita Kiss-Hegyi, State Secretary for Cultural Relations at the Ministry of Culture and Innovation, and Dr. Péter Szilágyi, Deputy State Secretary for National Policy of Hungary.

Jolán Török, Harangozó Gyula Award-winning dancer and dance pedagogue, Péter Ertl, Director of the National Dance Theatre, Emese Gáspár, Chancellor of the Liszt Ferenc Academy of Music and RRF project manager of the Hungarian Dance University, and, among others, Professor Tamás Kucsera, Rector of the Metropolitan University were also present at the ceremonial event.

In her speech, State Secretary Anita Kiss-Hegyi pointed out that supporting an educational institution of this caliber is not only a pleasure for the Ministry, but also a duty.

“I am particularly pleased about this investment because dance is close to my heart. Even more importantly, through this cooperation and support, we have been able to provide space for the development of future generations of dance artists, thereby contributing to the enrichment of Hungarian culture.”

János Kiss, National Artist of Hungary, Kossuth Prize-winning ballet dancer, and Chairman of the Board of the Foundation that maintains the University, emphasized that in these moments, the main focus is on gratitude.

“I want to thank my colleagues, the instructors, and the students for their patience and understanding, because I know that working and creating has been very challenging over the past months due to the construction. Thank you very much! But my thanks are not only for them; I also extend my gratitude to everyone who participated in this major project. This is our shared success, because now we stand here and can clearly see that our efforts were not in vain! In the past few moments, the talented young performers at today’s demonstration have danced in the new studio, and soon the masters and students of the Hungarian Dance University will be able to fully take possession of the new floor. I believe there is no greater joy than this.”

Photos by Hype

János Kiss personally thanked several of his colleagues, as well as the contractors and the designer, for their work. Interestingly, the wing of the Dance Training Institute—now named after Imre Dózsa—was originally designed in 2002 by Antal Lázár, DLA, Kossuth Prize-winning architect and MMA academician, who is also coordinating the current renovation and expansion. The master was present at the unveiling, and it was no surprise that several attendees took the opportunity to greet him personally.

With the expansion of the training program and the increase in student numbers, it became necessary to enhance the infrastructural capacity required for education, which has now been realized. The unveiling concluded with a ceremonial ribbon-cutting. Attendees were able to take part in a truly wonderful and joyful event.

In the video shown here, viewers can see in a unique way how the expansion was carried out.

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Seiga Sato began his professional career with the Arts Ballet Theatre of Florida in Miami, where he performed a wide range of repertoire. During his time with the company, he also appeared as a guest artist at the Varna State Opera in Bulgaria, where he danced the role of the Jester in Swan Lake and performed the Grand Pas de Deux in Harlequinade. The Japanese ballet artist spoke about these and other interesting experiences in the following interview.

You graduated here in Budapest in 2022—how do you look back on your time at the Hungarian Dance University?

It was a very exciting period of my life. I remember the 8 a.m. classes were really tough, especially in winter. But those difficult days made me a stronger professional. The undergraduate program itself was also a serious challenge, as I didn’t speak English at first, but the great environment helped me learn the language very quickly. Most importantly, I built lifelong friendships! I’m still very close with my best Hungarian friend, Tamás Darai; whenever we can, we visit each other and take classes together. Since many graduates from here have become internationally recognized dancers, I can confidently say that anyone who studies here is in the best place and can experience true artistry.

What has happened to you since you graduated at the Hungarian Dance University?

After receiving my degree, I moved to the United States and danced for three years with the Arts Ballet Theatre of Florida in Miami. After that, I performed as a guest artist at the Varna State Opera in Bulgaria. I then toured across the United States with the World Ballet Company, followed by working in Japan as a freelance dancer and instructor. Currently, I am waiting for my European work visa so I can begin working at the Stara Zagora State Opera in Bulgaria.

Why would you recommend this university to others?

I believe the instructors have very strong professional experience, and the campus and new ballet studios are both spacious and beautiful. Most importantly, the Hungarian Dance University is the perfect place for anyone who wants to become a professional dancer.

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In recent years, many outstanding Japanese ballet artists have graduated from the Hungarian Dance University, spreading the institution’s reputation worldwide through their professional engagements and showcasing the excellence of Hungarian university-level dance education.

This highlighted the importance of the visit by His Excellency Mr Kimura Tetsuya, the Ambassador of Japan to Hungary, who was welcomed by the leadership of the Hungarian Dance University including Rector Professor Márta Fodor-Molnár, Vice-Rector Magdolna Salát, Head of Institute Szilárd Macher, DLA, and International Coordinator Nikolett Áder. The meeting was also attended by First Secretary and Head of the Cultural Department at the Embassy Takeshi Ozaki, and Assistant of the Cultural Department Sachiko Győri.

The university’s rector was pleased to inform the ambassador that over 20 Japanese students are currently enrolled at the institution. Mr Kimura Tetsuya toured the university and discussed various topics with the leadership, including the Budapest Ballet Grand Prix, an international ballet competition in which Japanese students have traditionally performed exceptionally well.

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The program is designed for those who already have experience in folk dance and wish to further develop their technical, pedagogical, and methodological skills, while exchanging ideas and inspiration with folk dancers from around the world.

The course is not just training, but a full experience: learning, collaborative thinking, and exploring the traditions of Hungarian folk dance in an international environment.

Dates: June 29 – July 10, 2026
Location: Hungarian Dance University, Budapest

Participation requirements: minimum age of 18 and a secondary school leaving certificate (high school diploma).

Course structure:

Week 1: Development of dance technique, practice of Hungarian folk dance repertoire, rhythm and endurance exercises.
Week 2: Pedagogical and methodological topics, small group sessions, micro-teaching, and professional experience exchange.

The program is bilingual (Hungarian and English).

Application includes submitting a short video, which helps tailor the training to each participant.

Participation fees:

• 1,000 EUR – full program including accommodation and meals 
• 750 EUR – for participants arranging their own accommodation (includes the course and meals) 

Application: Please submit your application via the following link.

Application deadline: April 30, 2026

For more information or any questions, feel free to contact: brum.alejandra@mte.eu

Join us for an inspiring summer in the world of Hungarian folk dance, for professional development and building international connections!

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