The Gala of the intramural competition of the Hungarian Dance University took place on Tuesday, 26 March when the students selected by the jury presented their performances at the National Dance Theatre. As the level of this year’s intramural competition was quite high, the sold-out Gala was also a great success.
The traditional intramural competition is an important stage in the annual training of students. In 2024, the event was of outstanding quality.
The Gala programme included 37 pieces and the evening began with the first mixed year group’s performance, Dancing Babies, choreographed by Melinda Szitt.
This was followed by the prize-award ceremony, with Eszter Pataki-Tóth winning the Special Prize for Masters awarded by the jury.
Eszter Pataki-Tóth, who managed five students who were also recognised at the Gala, said the following:
“It is actually a great honour for me that the prestigious jury not only recognised the students’ preparation and performance, but also my work. I didn’t expect it at all, it was very nice. I think it must be a pleasure for any master to have his work recognised by a jury, but it is also a great pleasure to see the children do so well. We prepared a lot, there was really a lot of work involved, but they really inspired me because I got to work with an excellent team. It was a pleasure to prepare with them and to see how much it gives them something to work for every day, to have a goal to work for.”
Ther jury included students as well as a gesture of goodwill: Málna Csató and Lukács Konrád Kópiás. Málna noted how the jury was in agreement on the outstanding performances, while “Luki” said that it was interesting to watch the others’ performances from the outside, because it was a new and different perspective.
Márta Fodor-Molnár, Rector of the Hungarian Dance University highlighted that it was a stiff competition.
“The students and trainees were able to perform on a very high level of unity. Having seen this, I felt the level of the contest was improving from year to year. You can feel that the students participate in a lot of national and international competitions, they are very experienced on stage, they can correct well, they are less nervous, they are used to the stage. That is why it’s getting harder and harder to make a decision, so the jury has awarded several shared prizes.”
Award winners can be found here at the bottom of the page.
Congratulations to the students and the coaching masters. Congratulations to the students and the coaching Masters!
