Táncház & Dance

Budapest is one of the few capitals where you can still find an active traditional music and folk dance scene. A visit to a `Dance House` (táncház) is one of the best ways to meet locals and learn directly what it is that makes them so Hungarian. Dance Houses tend to be open from October to the end of May. There is usually a weekend summer Dance House on somewhere but venues change, and few tourist services keep info on the folk scene. Check the English website for info at http://www.tanchaz.hu
Keep an eye on Almássy tér Recreation Centre for events!

Csángó Dance House
Marczibányi téri Mûvelõdési Ház, XII Marczibányi tér 5A, tel.: 212 5789, reachable by M2 Moszkva tér.
Open: Sept-June 8pm-midnight Wed.
The Csángós are two pockets of Hungarians, one the Byimes region of Transylvania and one in the Szeret valley of Moldavia, who play a rough, energetic music reflecting the oldest Magyar traditions. Using instruments such as the gardon ( a cello-shaped string instrument hit with a stick), the koboz (similar to the Arabic oud but smaller and louder), fiddles and Moldavian flutes, Csángó music, as played by house band Tatros, has injected the Budapest folk scene with a loud rocking rhythm.

Kalamajka Dance House
Belvárosi Ifjúsági Mûvelõdési Ház, V. Molnár utca 9.
tel.: 371 5928, reachable by M3 Ferenciek tere.
Open: Sept-June 8pm-1am Sat.
The biggest weekend dance, with dancing and instruction on the
second floor and jam sessions and serious pálinka abuse on the
fourth. The Kalamajka band is led by Béla Halmos, who started the Dance House movement in the 1970`s, and usually there rare guest performances by traditional cillagers or visiting renowed folk bands.

Méta Dance House
Józsefvárosi Club, VIII. Somogyi Béla utca 13. tel.: 318 7930, reachable by M3 or tram 4, 6 Blaha Lujza tér.
Open: Sept-May 7pm-midnight Sun.
A small weekend get-together in the basement of a local school.

Muzsikás Club
Marczibányi téri Mûvelõdési Ház, XII. Marczibányi tér 5/a.
tel.: 212 5789, reachable by M2 Moszkva tér.
Open: Sept-May 8pm-midnight Thur.
Hosted by Muzsikás. Little dancing, but a chance to hear them
jam in a relaxed atmosphere.

Almássy tér Sunday Dances
Almássy téri Mûvelõdési Ház, VII. Almássy tér 6. tel.: 352 1572, reachable by M2 or tram 4,6 Blaha Lujza tér.
Open: 6pm-midnight Sun.
From 6pm to 10pm folkies dance to electric Greeks Sirtos in the main hall, while upstairs a small fanatic band of Magyar dancers twirl to the Kalotaszeg sounds of the Berkó Band until midnight.

Authentic folk-music workshops (táncház or ‘dance house’) are held at least once a week at several locations around the city, including the Municipal Cultural House (Fõvárosi Mûvelõdési Ház) at XI Fehérvári út 47 in Buda; the Kalamajka Táncház at V Molnár utca 9; and the Marczibányi Mûvelõdési Ház, II Marczibányi tér 5/a, where the popular folk group Muzsikás jam on Thursday at 8 p.m.

Most people come to táncház evenings to learn the folk dances that go with the music (and of course you can dance, too). These workshops have nothing to do with tourism and are a great opportunity to hear musicians practising and get involved in a local scene at next to no expense. You become part of the programme instead of merely watching others perform.

Every Monday, Friday and Saturday from May to mid-October at 8.30 p.m., the more touristy Folklór Centrum presents a programme of Hungarian dancing accompanied by a Gypsy orchestra at the Municipal Cultural House. This performance is one of the best of its kind in Budapest.

Also in summer, the 40 dancers of the Hungarian State Folk Ensemble perform at the Budai Vigadó, I Corvin tér 8 (metro: Batthyány tér). The 11/2-hour programmes begin at 8 p.m. daily except Friday and Saturday from April to October. On the same nights at 8 p.m. most of the year you can see Hungarian folk dancing at the stately Duna Palota, V Zrínyi utca 5 just off Roosevelt tér in Pest.