Carnival feast with csángó culture

On Friday, February 10, from 7:00 pm, the Numinosum Cottage in Warsaw’s Jazdów district will host a dance party with live music and led dances in the Hungarian Dance House (táncház) formula. At Dance House meetings, dancing, playing and singing are done, but also – or perhaps especially – all of these things are taught.

If you have never danced Csángó dances before – don’t be afraid to join us, all dances will be explained on the fly. The advantage of the dances may be the fact that most are circle dances, so you don’t need a partner or partner, and the steps are usually simple, although the tempos are sometimes very fast.

The music of the Hungarian Csángó tradition is unique – you will find medieval, Gypsy, Jewish, Balkan and even Polish melodies.

The Changs are a Hungarian-speaking ethnic group from the Moldovan and Gyimes regions, which lie on either side of the Eastern Carpathian Mountains, within what is now Romania and was once the Kingdom of Hungary.

Who will perform during the feast with csángó culture?

  • The Szépszerével Band – draws on the traditions of the csángó, playing lively energetic Hungarian music derived from. It is co-founded by: Farkas Gyulai (violin, gordon, singing) and Gergó Sámsondi (koboz lute, violin, flutes).  The musicians often exchange instruments. They practise the oldest forms of folk music. The band’s name (translates as “aesthetically / kindly”) is linked to the band’s philosophy – they prefer to play without electricity (sound system), artificial lighting (especially LED), and they value contact with nature so as to ensure health and peace of heart. They are keen to teach the audience their dances, which they play, as well as songs, complete with lyrics, so that everyone can join in singing along as they dance.
  • The special guest of the evening will be Mária Petrás, the most famous folk singer and ceramic artist of the Chango region. Mária Petrás is a recipient of the prestigious Prima Primissima Award and the Hungarian Heritage Award and a member of the Hungarian Academy of Arts (MMA). Maria always feels honoured to visit Poland and share her rich heritage in art and humanity with others.
  • In teaching dances, members of the Szépszerével band are assisted by Joanna Mieszkowicz, alover, animator and promoter of csángó culture, participant of many dance houses’ meetings and dance tabors in Romania, Hungary. Together with Szépszerével she creates travelling events under the name of meetings Csángó Festival in Poland, more at czango.pl

Anyone can enter the events, regardless of age or dance ability – the most important things are good shoes, the right humour, a fun attitude and a desire to interact with the community. Instruments such as violins, flutes and dulcimers are welcome.

Entrance fee – we will accept any amount, preferably from 20 PLN upwards, payment only in cash on the spot in the club.

People with instruments playing at least intermediate level – free entry

The dance accompanies an exhibition by Mária Petrás, the opening of which will take place the day before at the Hungarian Cultural Institute in Warsaw, ul. Moniuszki 10. The opening of the exhibition will be accompanied by a concert by Maria and the Szépszerével band, so we are in for two days of wonderful artistic experiences.

February 9, Thursday, 5 p.m. -6:30 p.m.
Hungarian Cultural Institute in Warsaw, ul. Moniuszki 10
The exhibition will run from February 9 to March 15, 2023

Mária Petrás is shaping and firing in clay her deep awareness of the roots of the Csángó people, their communal values, human mastery and the relationship between God and humanity. As a child, she learned about Moldavian Csángó decorative art. In 1990, she moved to Hungary, where she attended the Budapest School of Applied Arts, specializing in ceramics. The richness of her work is evident in how she combines elements from different periods of art history. In a given work, the viewer can find elements of ancient sculpture, medieval church art, as well as characteristic elements of folk art. A discerning viewer will notice elements of traditional Moldovan costume in her figures: a traditional kerchief, strands of beads, ribbons from an infant’s clothes. Her magnificent ceramic works, expressing her soul, can be found all over the world. Mária Petrás has so far had more than 300 exhibitions in Europe and around the world.

In addition to her exhibitions and performances, Mária has always been and continues to be involved in community work leading workshops for children and adults. Her studio in Pomaz is always open to anyone who would like to spend some time with her and receive power or healing from her pure spiritual source.

Mária expresses her respect for different cultures, especially Christian nations such as Poland. Her most far-reaching exhibition took place under the Southern Stars in Australia, in 2015. During this series of exhibitions, one of the events was organized by the Polish Consulate in Sydney.

Mária always feels honored to visit Poland and share her rich heritage in art and humanity with others.

Our foundation is helping to organize this meeting as part of the Zielone Wydarzenia (meaning: Green Events) program. For more current information on chango culture and upcoming events, visit czango.pl.