Figure 1.--

Dance is a wondeful display of ethnic or national culture. Often destinctive national or ethnic costumes are involved. There are many festivals where children and adults demonstrate these ethnic dances or compete in a variety of competitions. There are also folk dance festivals in which showcase a wide range of ethnic dances. There are a wide range of these festivals held in America and around the world which inclide the many varied dance styles of a wide range of dance styles from many different countries and ethnic comminities. The many different folk events held in America are a wonferful reflection of rge country's cultural diversity. These events are, however, only a limited view of the great diversity of ethnic dance festivals held around the world.

America

Information on ethnic festivals in America is available at the Folk Things website. This websote has information on ethnic, traditional, and folk dance, music, and arts

Folk Dance Festivals & Workshops

This page displays a list of all folk dance festivals and workshops for which information was submitted. If the name of a festival or weekend is underlined, click on the name to visit a website presenting the latest news about that event. Although we checked out each web site when we listed it, we're not responsible for those which contain errors or no longer exist. We realize it's not possible to keep abreast of all folk dance happenings in the world. So, if you're aware of any folk dance festival or workshop not listed below, please tell its sponsor about us and visit our Suggesting an Event page to tell us about it. Also, if you're the contact person for a festival or workshop not listed below or listed incorrectly, please visit our Listing a Festival page to submit a new listing or correct the current one.

Hungary

Károly Miklós from Hungary provides information on international folk dance festivals in his country: "I live in Szeged, the centre of the county Csongrád "Member of the CID". I have been dealing with folk-dance since 1999 and I have organized international folk-dance festivals since then. I have set the INTERNATIONAL "VILLAGE-WANDERING" FESTIVAL off in 1999. It has been organized every year since then. There are three villages in Hungary to arrange this event. All of them receive a foreign folk-dance group, so all together three groups (from abroad) take part in the festival. If the organizer village has a folk-dance group, - of course it is the fourth participant. (But not every village has its own group.) I arrange everything in connection with the festival from beginning to end. I also recruit new villages into the festival. The festival receives amateur, children's and youth groups. If a settlement has only an adults' Group, in this case - because of the contact - we invite a group of same age. The accomodation is in the villages in every case. (Sometimes in families or in students' hostels.) the villages pay the costs of this and the board for the groups, but every group has to pay its own costs of travelling. Besides the county, other couties in Hungary take interest in this festivals. That's why I would like to extend it to a nationwide programme. During the festival the guests travel from village to village and they have a stepping up In every village.So it is named "VILLAGE-WANDERING". The self-government of this villages raise the necessary funds of the festivals (not the state!) Unfortunately, - because of this - we have to restrict the structures of these festivals from year to year. The festivals are going to be based on exchange visits from 2003.

I started the INTERNATIONAL "COUNTRY-WANDERER" FESTIVAL in 2002. This is planned for all those settlements and cities that cannot take part in the village wandering festivals because of financial reasons. It can receive children's, amateurs' and youth folk-dance groups, majorette - and windbands. In this case the accomodation of these teams are going to be in the centre of SZEGED (population of 170,000), in a big students' hostel, on a beach, or in a leisure time centre. During the festival the teams are planned to start from and get back there. The participants are villages, towns, cities. They will act as host to these groups with a lunch or dinner, and they will get a stepping up from them. The city of SZEGED and other towns of the county will be shown to the participants. It is very important to know that I'm looking for groups for this festival that can pay their costs of travelling and accommodation. I have to look for and find sponsors who can pay any other costs.

In 2003 the following international folkdance festivals will be organized in Hungary, Csongrád County. In case you wish to participate, please be so kind as to inform me which festival's program should I send to you. Had I sent this mail to a wrong address, but you happen to know any group that might be interested in any of my festivals, please be so kind as to forward them my mail. Thank you for your help in advance.

Folk Dance Festival-offers: II. International "Country-Wanderer" Festival Meeting of children, younger, adult dance groups 04-10 June 2003 3 Folk Dance Group will come to perform. I am waiting for the application of younger, adult dance groups Accommodation in SZEGED (a town of about 170. 000 inhabitants): - in a nice, clean youth hostel; or - in the outskirts of SZEGED, close to a bathe (Szeged-Kiskundorozsma); or - in the outskirts of ALGYO, (a village of about 5400 inhabitants) in a Leisure Center; or - in the outskirts of DOMASZÉK (a village of about 4200 inhabitants) clean youth hostel with calm atmosphere. - in the outskirts of SZEGED, Família Farm (boarding-house)

II. International "Country-Wanderer" Festival Meeting of children, younger, adult dance groups 09-15 July 2003 3 Folk Dance Group will come to perform. I am waiting for the application of younger, adult dance groups Accommodation in SZEGED (a town of about 170. 000 inhabitants): - in a nice, clean youth hostel; or - in the outskirts of SZEGED, close to a bathe (Szeged-Kiskundorozsma); or - in the outskirts of ALGYO, (a village of about 5400 inhabitants) in a Leisure Center; or - in the outskirts of DOMASZÉK (a village of about 4200 inhabitants) clean youth hostel with calm atmosphere. - in the outskirts of SZEGED, Família Farm (boarding-house) >br>

II. International "Country-Wanderer" Festival Meeting of children, younger, adult dance groups 23-29 July 2003 3 Folk Dance Group will come to perform. I am waiting for the application of younger, adult dance groups Accommodation in SZEGED (a town of about 170. 000 inhabitants): - in a nice, clean youth hostel; or - in the outskirts of SZEGED, close to a bathe (Szeged-Kiskundorozsma); or - in the outskirts of ALGYO, (a village of about 5400 inhabitants) in a Leisure Center; or - in the outskirts of DOMASZÉK (a village of about 4200 inhabitants) clean youth hostel with calm atmosphere. - in the outskirts of SZEGED, Família Farm (boarding-house)

II. International "Country-Wanderer" Festival Meeting of children, younger, adult dance groups 30 July 05 August 2003 3 Folk Dance Group will come to perform. I am waiting for the application of younger, adult dance groups Accommodation in SZEGED (a town of about 170. 000 inhabitants): - in a nice, clean youth hostel; or - in the outskirts of SZEGED, close to a bathe (Szeged-Kiskundorozsma); or - in the outskirts of ALGYO, (a village of about 5400 inhabitants) in a Leisure Center; or - in the outskirts of DOMASZÉK (a village of about 4200 inhabitants) clean youth hostel with calm atmosphere. - in the outskirts of SZEGED, Família Farm (boarding-house)

II. International "Country-Wanderer" Festival Meeting of children, younger, adult dance groups 14-21 August 2003 3 Folk Dance Group will come to perform. I am waiting for the application of younger, adult dance groups Accommodation in SZEGED (a town of about 170. 000 inhabitants): - in a nice, clean youth hostel; or - in the outskirts of SZEGED, close to a bathe (Szeged-Kiskundorozsma); or - in the outskirts of ALGYO, (a village of about 5400 inhabitants) in a Leisure Center; or - in the outskirts of DOMASZÉK (a village of about 4200 inhabitants) clean youth hostel with calm atmosphere. - in the outskirts of SZEGED, Família Farm (boarding-house) >

I inform you that from the enlisted countries only one group will be invited. I am waiting for the application from folkdance groups (amateur) whose members can be youngsters or adults and who would take part on the Festival organised by me kindly. Please be so kind as to write me in English, by e-mail or fax.

Kind Regards: Mr. Károly Miklós Director of FestivalTel/Fax: 36-62-481-430 Mobile: 36-30-2815-144 6723. SZEGED. Sólyom u. 1/A 2/11 HUNGARY E-mail: mikloskaroly@freemail.hu Festival Manager Ms. Eniko Magyar - English, Portugal, German. Mobile: 36-20-9119-072