At 4 pm on the first Sunday of June, the students of the Dance and Rehearsal Department specialising in Modern Ballroom Dances at the Hungarian Dance University (HDU) took part in a stage exam entitled ‘Swirling Emotions’. It is no wonder that the jr. Zoltán Nagy Theatre Hall was packed because the performance was a nice and high quality.
The aim of the course is to train dancers and rehearsal directors who are able to play an active role in Hungarian dance culture and to represent the values of Hungarian dance in international forums. With the acquired knowledge of dance technique and theory, they are able to participate in the institutional and independent artistic life as dancers, rehearsal directors or assistant choreographers. One of the main objectives of the training is to enable students to learn and master other formal languages.
One of the interesting things about this year’s exam was that the performance on stage was a chance to see competition dancers who are not necessarily used to classical stage presence, or perhaps not even used to it. Of course, they have “learned the profession” over the years, and everyone wishes the graduating students to find their future not only in in competitive dance but on the stage as well.
Because of all of this, students deserve a special congratulations for the excellent performance. Based on the opinions of professional experts, the exam was really a great success.
Photo: Pál Csillag
It should not be forgotten that this group of students was admitted to HDU three years ago during the coronavirus epidemic, and they started their studies when the pandemic was at its peak. It is no coincidence that this extraordinary circumstance, fortunately now only a bad memory, was emphasised by the head of the year, Katalin Hájas.
“It was a very hard time. We were learning online so it was difficult to get to know the students. When we came back to the class, we got closer to each other. I think those three years really brought the team together. It was a lot of hard work leading up to this show and we’re happy because I think it was really well done. Congratulations to the students! I am very happy”, she said.
Because of all the hard work, everyone cried and smiled at the same time at the end of the performance. It was good to see these emotional moments.
The teachers, Károly Baráth, Attila Bokor and Tibor Dalotti indicated that the preparation for the exam and the performance was less difficult than usual. The teachers felt that the children did a little bit better than the class graduated a year before.
“I must admit that every year the students got better and better, and I think we masters have improved too”, said Tibor Dalotti. “Our performance this time gave a more dance theatre atmosphere. We tried it out to see what the students thought. Well, it was all good. Not only the hours we spent together, but also the few years we worked together.”
Liza Vörös, one of the graduating students, said that she feels that during three years she has learned a lot about different dance styles, the profession and the art of dance from the masters.
“We have formed a very close-knit group within the class and we will definitely keep in touch in the future. Remember that there will be a lot of us here for the master’s programme, so we’re looking forward to continuing.”
The event was presented by Kornél Ádám very well.
“I’m basically a second-year student at university majoring in Ballroom Dance, but I also work as an actor. Maybe that’s why the teachers and the class asked me to do this. I said yes, they sent me scripts, and then we started rehearsing. I had a great time with them, they were a lovely group.”
Congratulations to the lovely graduating students and their preparing masters, as Kornél Ádám said so well.
Students of the class:
Petra Balla, Lilla Bartha-Nagy, Alma Barbara Better, József Ábel Erős, Erik Győrfi, Fanni Huszáros, Bence Kalapács, Rozina Katona, Rebeka Kecsedi, Noémi Kiss, Bernadett Kovács, Barbara Nagy, Mariann Éva Nagy, Csaba Patrik Peresztegi, Sándor Gábor Szőke, Ádám Tóth, Melitta Tóth, Fanni Unger, Bence Varga-Bercsényi and Liza Vörös.
The teachers:
Károly Baráth, Attila Bokor, Tibor Dalotti, Katalin Szilvia Hájas, Roland Kósa and Lilla Radóci.
Supporting dancers:
László Keresztes, Dénes Szalay, Dániel Veréb, Máté Patkós and Lilla Sulyán.
