Under the patronage and support of the Lajtha László Folk Dance and Folk Music Association, the Örökség National Children’s and Youth Folk Art Association, and the Martin György Folk Dance Association, the finals of the 14th National Youth Solo Folk Dance Competition were held in Eger on January 17, where students of the Hungarian Dance University (HDU) achieved outstanding results.
The National Youth Solo Folk Dance Competition is a prestigious platform for outstanding young folk dancers and plays an important role in preserving and passing on Hungary’s folk dance heritage in an authentic way.
Eleven of HDU’s students from the second folk dance specialization cohort preparing for higher education entered the competition either as soloists or in pairs, and seven of their performances advanced to the finals.
Two graduating students of the Folk Dance specialization of the Dance Artist program at the Hungarian Dance University, Bori Busai and Zoltán Makula, performed at the high standard that has already become characteristic of them. They competed in Age Group II.
Bori and Zoli presented their dances at an exceptionally high level and in an exemplary manner, which the jury rewarded with the Gyöngygalléros Dancer Award and the Ezüstpitykés Dancer Award. In addition, they received a Special Prize from the Ministry of Culture and Innovation, which includes an invitation to perform on behalf of the Ministry and a prize of HUF 100,000 per person.
Award recipients of the competition:
- Anna Eszter Antal – (Gergő Boldizsár Takács) – Gyöngygalléros (Pearl-Collared) Dancer
- Boglárka Bistey – Domonkos Kispál – Gyöngygalléros and Ezüstpitykés (Silver-Buttoned) Dancers; both also received the Special Prize of the Tiszavirág Folk Dance Association
- Lili Dudás – (Szabolcs Tallér) – Gyöngygalléros Dancer and the Special Prize of the György Martin Folk Dance Association
- Mátyás István Taba – Ezüstpitykés Dancer and a HUF 20,000 voucher from the Örökség National Children and Youth Association for the Folk Dancers’ Accessories Shop
- Szabolcs Tallér – Ezüstpitykés Dancer
The university offered a special prize for the second time, awarded “for meeting the expectations of stage folk dance art at a high professional level.”
At this year’s competition, the prize was earned by Nelli Hercz – Áron Lesó, as well as Eszter Nyemcsok and Máté Imre Orosz.
Along with the award, they received tickets to the concert examination of the Folk Dance specialization of the Dance Artist program, which serves as the practical final state exam and will take place on June 6. The performance will be presented at the National Dance Theatre.
Gyöngyvér Hortobágyi, Head of Department, and Béla Ónodi, instructor at HDU, attended the event on site. Gyöngyvér Hortobágyi said:
“We were filled with pride by the performances of our students. The ‘younger and older’ dancers, through conscientious preparation and high-quality choreographic expression, represented the Hungarian Dance University in a worthy and dignified manner.”
