European and Hungarian Folk Dance

CEUS-U 320 #25679

ANTH-E 300 #26584

FOLK-F312 #16556

carries CULTURE STUDIES and COLL A & H (and CSB for FOLK-F312) distribution credits

First eight weeks semester only

Class meets: TR 5:45 pm-8:15 pm

Instructors:

Ágnes Fülemile – Hungarian Chair, Goodbody Hall 238

855-1102, fulemila@indiana.edu

László Diószegi – Choreographer, Visiting Scholar

He is one of the most well acclaimed choreographers and folk dance pedagogues of Hungary. Choreographed several dance theatre performances and has received numerous prizes and awards at Hungarian and international festivals. He teaches choreographing at the Hungarian Dance Academy. He was awarded with Gyula Harangozó Award (the most prestigious Hungarian state award in dance) in 2005.

The course will offer a unique combination of practical dance instructions together with theory, history and ethnography of European folk dance with a special focus on Hungary and her neighbors in East Central Europe. Classes will be 2,5 hours each time, spending 1 hour with lecture/discussion and 1,5 an hour with dance instructions.

Hungary has an exceptionally rich tradition and regional varieties in folk dance and music. To the present Hungarian dance tradition preserves many types and historic layers of European dance culture. The course will discuss Hungarian folk dance in the context of European dance-history from the Middle Ages to the 20^th century. Social and culture history, visual iconography of dance, ethno-choreology, anthropologic and ethnographic material will be presented alongside with field materials (photos, music, documentary films) and video-recordings of stage performances. Dance on stage, trends of choreographic interpretations will also be discussed.

The following regional dances will be taught or illustrated live:

-Moldavian Csángó circle dances - Balkan parallels

-Jumping-leaping dances from Somogy county (Southern Transdanubia) - Sicilian sartarella

-Remnants of weapon-dances and led’s dances: Polish Goral men’s dances from the Tatra Mountains, Transylvanian Romanian haidau - Transylvanian Hungarian led’s dances

-Influence of the Renaissance couple dances: Hungarian and Romanian couple dances from the Transylvanian Heath - couple dances from Scandinavia

-New style Hungarian csardas and verbunk and its impact in Central Europe - Slovakian, Romanian, Croatian parallels.

Assessment:

- Weekly assignments 40 %

- 8-10 pp Final term paper 40%

- Class attendance and effort to participate in learning 20 %.

Weekly assignments will require work with selected articles from various authors, web-sources and video materials (provided on DVD by the instructors).

Preliminary dance background is not required only an interest, sense and motivation to dance. Grades will be decided based on effort and not on actual dancing skills.

(Please dress conveniently, have appropriate shoes.)