On October 24, one day after the national holiday, the Step by Step Gala, the first major performance of the 2025/2026 academic year of the Hungarian Dance University, took place at the National Dance Theatre. The event was of outstanding artistic quality, but it will be remembered not only for that reason: during the gala, several great figures from the university’s past were also honoured.
Photo by Pál Csillag
The Step by Step Gala is the traditional opening performance of the students of the Hungarian Dance University, serving as an important milestone in the academic year and showcasing the students’ work. The audience got a glimpse into what the students have been developing under the guidance of their masters in the new academic year. On the evening of Friday, October 24, a full house at the National Dance Theatre witnessed the current artistic progress of the university’s students.
The first main stage performance of the year was not only artistically impressive but also of great importance from both the audience’s and the students’ learning perspective.
Photo by Adrienne Horváth
At the beginning of the event, Márta Fodor-Molnár, the Rector of the Hungarian Dance University, presented greetings and awards, and the university community also paid tribute to a highly influential master teacher.
“This day was truly special for me, as we had the honour of celebrating two wonderful master teachers, Katalin Sebestény and Mária Bérczes, and we also commemorated Zsuzsa Merényi, who would have turned 100 this year. I personally owe her not only my professional knowledge but also my outlook on life and the example she set”, said the Rector.
Photo by Adrienne Horváth
Zsuzsa Merényi, ballet dancer, ballet master, author, Merited Artist, wife of the influential György Lőrinc, and mother of Master Teacher Katalin Lőrinc, passed away in 1990.
One of her students was Katalin Sebestyén, Liszt Ferenc Award-winning Merited Artist, who graduated from the State Ballet Institute in 1958 and then spent 30 years as a dancer and ballet master at the Hungarian State Opera House. From 1970, she also taught at the Hungarian Dance University, later serving as the head of the Classical Ballet Department.
Mária Bérczes, Harangozó Gyula Award-winning ballet dancer and ballet master, graduated from the State Ballet Institute in 1964 and, like her peers, spent 30 years as a performer at the Hungarian State Opera House. She later became a university lecturer, formerly serving as deputy head of the Classical Ballet Department, and subsequently as the program coordinator. Today, she is a member of the Supervisory Board of the Noverre Dance Foundation and a board member of the Hóvirág Foundation.
Photo by Adrienne Horváth
Regarding the event, Márta Fodor-Molnár spoke briefly but to the point:
“I am grateful that everyone, from the youngest to the most experienced, had a place in today’s gala and delivered such a fantastic performance. I congratulate them wholeheartedly!”
The whole programme of the gala can be read here at the bottom of the page.
