Hungarian folk music and folk dance summer camps 2010

Summer is almost here, which means festival and camp time!! There will be LOADZ of camps in and around Hungary where you can dive into Hungarian folk music and dancing: learn to play an instrument, your favorite (or favorite to be) dances at the workshops, make friends and party all night long.


Photo: K. Fekete (Source)

Folkradio has collected the dates into a calendar for you. (Un)fortunately, it is such a long list that it would be hard to translate all of them, and more dates are added continuously, from other countries also, for we know of camps in the US or Canada for example.

CALENDAR OF HUNGARIAN FOLK MUSIC AND FOLK DANCE CAMPS 2010

I have a few suggestions if you would like to find out more about a specific camp. Leave a comment here to let us know which camp(s) are you interested in, so that you can get the info translated into English.

The ways to choose them:

1. Look through the dates and see if you find some camp you would like to have more info about
2. Look at the locations (2nd column) and see if you find a place you are already familiar with
3. If you already know something about Hungarian folk music or dancing, and you are interested in a particular type of music/dance, we can help you to find the camps where they teach it.
4. Post a question to the Hungarian Folk Music Facebook page and for sure there will be people happy to help you.

Event highlights for May

Fortunately, there are so many Hungarian folk music related events not only in the country but in other places in the world too, that it would be hard to post all of them here. A few selected ones, for your listening (and dancing) pleasure:

MAY 2, SUNDAY 19:00
Budapest, Hagyományok Háza (Heritage House)
If you can still make it tonight to Marianna Majorosi's concert Humming my tune, I think it will be a nice one. Event page

MAY 4, TUESDAY 20:00 (and May 6 Thursday at 20:00, May 15 at 19:00)
Budapest, Hagyományok Háza (Heritage House)
Eternal Kalotaszeg Spectacular music and dance show by the Hungarian State Folk Ensemble 
Event page

MAY 7, FRIDAY
Zurich (CH), Buchegg Community Centre
Zengő concert and táncház (folk dance workshop and party)
I have been there a few times years ago, nice little place and nice folks Event page (in German)  

MAY 8, SATURDAY 19:30
Veszprém (HU), Castle Stage  
Muzsikás concert, as part of Gizella Days Festival where they have family programs, handcraft fair and a lot more, for 2 days

MAY 11, TUESDAY - MAY 15, SATURDAY
Budapest, Fonó
Budapest Folk Fest 2010 - now that's a rich program: concerts, dance houses. Featured concerts: Csík Band CD/DVD release concert on Tuesday 20:00, and Félix Lajkó & Huun Huur Tu (Tuva) concert 
Festival page with videos - you have to scroll down for the full program (it's in Hungarian, but don't worry if you don't know all those names, just go to any events and you won't be disappointed) Here you find Fonó

MAY 14, FRIDAY 17:00
Targu Mures (RO), Marosvásárhely, Maros Folk Dance and Music Association
5th Maros Folk Music and Dance Reunion, with a good couple of authentic musicians, singers and dancers from Transylvanian villages Event page

MAY 21, FRIDAY 20:00
Budapest, Fonó
Kálmán Balogh & the Gypsy Cimbalom Band - Kálmán Balogh is one performer you should not miss, whenever you have a chance to see him Here you find Fonó

MAY 28, FRIDAY, 19:00
Stockholm (SE), Hungarian House
Barozda táncház (on the photo) - yes, here in Stockholm we have a monthly dance house now, and it's getting better with each time! AND in the other room, they serve real Hungarian dinner, 60.-Kr incl. coffee&cake Here you find the Hungarian House

And many, many more, especially in Hungary, of course. The biggest event calendar you find on Folkrádió's website: go to Folkradio.hu, find FOLKNAPTÁR up in the menu, and there you have it. In the third column, you see the event types, which is very useful info - if you don't master Hungarian, a lecture won't be anything for you. A few words:
táncház = dance house, folk dance party where normally there is somebody to teach the dances
koncert = concert
fesztivál = festival
tanfolyam = course, here it refers to folk dance
folkkocsma = folk pub

Have fun!

ps: my apologies go to Kisjégvirág Folkdancers in Calgary (AB, Canada), for I have promised to put here their May 1 event, but I am sick and couldn't get out of bed for a little while, so I missed that one.