OUR STAFF
The Dancers: Szilárd Szabó & Ildikó Németh
Barátsag 2002 is very pleased to welcome back Szilárd Szabó and Ildikó Németh, renowned dancers, teachers and choreographers. Szilárd was one of the first dancers of the Bartók Ensemble under the leadership of Sándor Timár in the 1970's. Ildikó was among the first graduates of the folk dance program of the well-known Ballet Institute in Budapest. Both Szilárd and Ildikó were principal dancers with the Hungarian State Folk Ensemble as well as with the Kodály Ensemble and rank with the most exceptional dancers today in Hungary. In addition to their current activities as directors and choreographers of their own folk dance group in Martonvásár, they also travel to teach dance and choreographies.
István “Kovács” Szabó, Director of the Kárpátok Ensemble in Los Angeles, was a principal dancer in Hungary with the Honvéd Ensemble and the Hungarian State Folk Ensemble and has taught extensively throughout the United States and Asia. His first time at Barátság, Kovács will teach the children’s’ dance classes and organize the teaching circles during each evening táncház. Kovács will also teach classes for beginning dancers and, under the guidance of Szilárd and Ildikó, will offer Master Classes for our more advanced students. Kovács will be teaching with our own Michele Vellrath of the San Francisco Bay Area. Michele has spent years studying the dances of Hungary with the best teachers and has taught many adult and children classes.
The Musicians: Members of the Ökrös Ensemble with Guests
(Csaba Ökrös canceled for family reasons.)
This solid band of superb musicians from Hungary promises to make Barátság 2002 one of our most exciting camps ever. We welcome back the members of the Ökrös Ensemble, headed by Miklós Molnár (Fiddle), László Mester (Contra, Gardon), and Róbert Doór (Bass), who have fired us in the past with the driving, pulsating rhythms of their music. Their individual virtuosity has placed each of them unarguably at the very top in their field. With guest singer, Éva Fábián, and guest musicians, Álmos Gáspár, Gergely Agócs and Ferenc Tobak, we are assured of a week-long extravaganza that is unrivaled anywhere.
Barátság 2002 is very proud to introduce Éva Fábián for her first appearance in the United States. One of the greatest singers of the Táncház Movement, Éva performs with both Kalamajka and Egyszólam, and teaches singing at the Egyszólam camp in Hungary. A children’s teacher by profession, she was with Kalamajka when they pioneered programming specifically for children. In addition to working with the children, Éva’s classes will include songs and csújogatás (dance yells) from Válaszút.
Álmos Gáspár, another of our return-visit guests (Barátság 1999) is a Transylvanian original having grown up and trained in the Székelyföld region, moving to Budapest only recently. He is well-versed on a variety of instruments including Violin/Fiddle, Contra, Cimbalom and Drum. Álmos is a very versatile musician who will fill out the band in every way needed.
Many of us know Gergely Agócs as a musician/singer of the respected Hegedős Ensemble. Gergely is recognized on Bagpipe (duda), Flute (furulya and fujara), and is particularly well known as a Tárogató player. A native of Slovakia he is a specialist of the Northern Hungarian dialects. Gergely is also a noted ethnomusicologist and most recently distinguished himself as contributing Editor of the newly released book, “The Bagpipe, The Flute and The Shepherd’s Horn”, a compilation of writings and studies on those instruments by such Hungarian greats as Béla Bartók, Lajos Vargyas and Pál Péter Domokos, as well as contemporaries such as Zoltán Juhász and our own Ferenc Tobak. His English is quite good and we can look forward to some interesting sessions with him.
Ferenc Tobak is well-established as Barátság’s resident Bagpiper/Furulya player.