Csardas Dance Company Blog

Csardas Performs with Hurdy Gurdy Player from Hungary!

2011-09-13T19:29:00.000-07:00

Csárdás Dance Company was delighted to perform with renowned hurdy gurdy designer, maker and player from Hungary, BALÁZS NAGY. He has played with the Tálto s Ensemble as well as the Bourdon Trio and has authored the "The Hurdy Gurdy Handbook". Special guest was Katalin Esztergomine Benno. The performance took place on Sunday, April 17, 2011 at 3:00 pm at the TOLEDO HUNGARIAN CLUB which is located at 224 Paine Avenue in Toledo.

Enjoy photos from this event!

Csardas Dance Company 15th Anniversary Performance

2009-12-03T12:41:00.000-08:00

Csárdás Dance Company was delighted to celebrate it’s 15th Anniversary in 2009. The organization was founded in 1994 by Richard Graber and Christopher Smith. Over the last 15 years, Csárdás Dance Company has enriched the lives of thousands of people with colorful main-stage performances, educational presentations in schools, and with a myriad of community outreach initiatives. This special event was celebrated with a Gala Dinner/Dance on August 1, 2009 at the West Side Hungarian Reformed Church on Puritas Avenue in Cleveland. The audience was treated to a delicious chicken paprikas dinner, champagne toast, and a spectacular dance performance by Csárdás Dance Company.

Guests of Honor included the Honorary Consulate General of Cleveland, Laszlo Bojtos, who delivered a memorable commendation to our company and Congressman and Chairman of the Hungarian-American Congressional Caucus Dennis Kucinich who offered a 15th anniversary toast. Author Charlotte Marky (“Journey To Freedom”) was also present. The gala performance consisted of current Youth Ensemble members and alumni dancers. The audience was treated to the Shepherd’s Stick Dance by Christopher Smith as well as a special grand finale performance of Szatmár with all company and alumni dancers including Richard Graber and Christopher Smith. The company members have proclaimed this as their best performance yet! A Silent Auction with many generous donations from individuals was included in the events as well as a fun and energetic "tancház" (dance party) directly following the performance.

We wish to thank The Cleveland Hungarian Development Panel, the W. W. Grainger Company and the law firm of Lesiak, Hensal & Hathcock, as well as individual supporters, for their generous donations.

Photographic services were provided by InMotion Photography and videography was provided by Beating Hart Productions. Pastor Zoltan Kelemen and the staff of West Side Hungarian Reformed Church Calvin Center did a wonderful job at executing the details of the event.

15th ANNIVERSARY PROGRAM
Program courtesy of dlg design, inc.

Click on each album to view photos!

Photos courtesy of InMotion Photography - http://www.inmotion-photo.com/

Proclamation from Congressman Dennis Kucinich - Congressional Record

Proclamation from Governor George Strickland and the State of Ohio

Proclamation from Mayor Frank G. Jackson and the City of Cleveland

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Csárdás Dance Company Performs at Cleveland's City Hall and Meets Mayor Jackson

2009-08-09T14:11:00.000-07:00

Csárdás Dance Company had the distinct pleasure and honor of performing at Cleveland's City Hall on Thursday, June 18, 2009 during the lunch hour as part of the Mayor's "Art in the Rotunda" series, a part of the Mayor's "Arts in Everything"initiative. Csárdás Youth Ensemble performed in the beautiful City Hall rotunda while audience members from City Hall and neighboring offices watched the performance. Here is a photo of our dancers with Mayor Frank G. Jackson.

15th Year Anniversary Celebration!

2009-06-23T18:18:00.000-07:00

Csárdás Dance Company announces our 15th year anniversary in 2009! Founded in 1994, Csárdás has delighted audiences all over northeast Ohio, surrounding states and even in Hungary with it's traditional and contemporary dance representing the Hungarian people.
Click here for more details on this special event!

Csárdás Dance Company Performs With The Cleveland Orchestra at Severance Hall

2008-05-19T09:29:00.001-07:00

Csárdás Dance Company's Youth Ensemble had the honor of performing on stage with The Cleveland Orchestra at Severance Hall in April 2008 during the orchestra's "Dancing With Dvorák" concert. An educational performance for schools was on Friday, April 18 and on Saturday, April 19 two performances were in conjunction with The Family Concert Series sponsored by The Musical Arts Association.

Csárdás founder and former Executive Director, Richard Graber, and former Artistic Director, Christopher Smith, choreographed two works to Brahms Hungarian Dances 5 and 6. Graber, Smith and Csárdás Rehearsal Instructor, Stuart Meyer, choreographed a work to Dvorák Slavonic Dance No. 1. Assistant Rehearsal Instructor, Judith Horvath, assisted with rehearsals. This was the first time the Company had performed to classical music.

The Company received accolades from Cleveland Orchestra members and the conductor, Tito Muñoz .

Please enjoy our photos from this event!

Csárdás Youth Ensemble Visit Hungary in July 2007!

2007-09-25T12:29:00.000-07:00

Csárdás Dance Company's Youth Ensemble had the wonderful opportunity to visit the land of their heritage this summer - Hungary! Eleven members of the dance company visited Hungary for two weeks in July.

Their first stop was Budapest and outlying towns and villages. While there, they toured Budapest (both Buda and Pest!), visited with Csárdás' costume designer, Rita Nánási, visited Kalocsa where one of their dances and costumes is from, saw the shop where material for their blue-dyed skirts are from, purchased hand-made leather dance shoes from a village shoe maker, and visited a horse farm where they saw a wonderful equestrian performance.

They witnessed 3 dance performances while in the Budapest area - the famed Bartók Ensemble , a group of 8 ladies from Kalocsa who performed in a beautiful restaurant on the shores of the Danube River, and Csillagszemű (Starry Eyed) Dance Company (whom they would join the next week in a dance camp!). In Kalocsa our dancers had the memorable opportunity to perform a karikazo on stage - the performance truly touched the ladies from Kalocsa to see young American dancers upholding their heritage.

The second week they traveled to the southern shores of Lake Balaton to join nearly 100 dancers from Csillagszemű (Starry Eyed) Dance Company of Budapest. This professional and highly acclaimed dance company of more than 300 youth ages 3 - 22 is directed by Sándor Timár. Master Timár is the former artistic director of the Hungarian State Folk Ensemble.

While at the dance camp, our dancers learned new and vibrant dance techniques and steps to bring back to Cleveland. Our youth ensemble also performed twice at the dance camp - our performances included dances from Sárköz, Moldva, and a modern Transdanubian dance. Our performances were well received with robust rounds of applause and positive remarks from all who viewed.

Our youth ensemble will be in rehearsals this winter with Founder, Richard Graber, and Rehearsal Instuctors, Stuart Meyer and Judith Horvath, to present our new material in 2008.

Csárdás would like to thank all who supported our involvement with the dance camp including the The Cleveland Hungarian Development Panel, William Penn Association, WCPN-Kapossy Radio and individual supporters.

In the meantime, enjoy our photos and our short 6-minute movie from Hungary!