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Organized under the sponsorship of the Hungarian Veterans' Association, the Hungária Gala Ball is a showcase of Hungarian culture to the Canadian community. It is through the tireless and selfless efforts of the Hungarian Veterans' Association here in Calgary that the Gala Ball became the success it is today. The Ball's distinct European and Hungarian character adds to the multicultural fabric of the Canadian community. Through the years, the Ball rose to become one of the most elegant social events in Calgary and Canada .
After the World War II a wave of Hungarians immigrated into Canada . With the help of the already existing local Hungarian churches as well as the Hungarian Association, these Hungarians were able to start a new life here in Canada . The former soldiers, who founded the Hungarian Veterans' Association, Calgary Chapter under the leadership of Fülöpp József, organized their first veterans' annual dinner at the Hungarian Cultural Center in the fall of 1956.
After 1960 the annual dinner was followed by a dance, at which the attendance rose to over 120. These social dinners and dances eventually gained, and maintained ever since, a ball format. It officially became a ball in 1965, when in front of more than 300 guests ten couples performed the Palotás dance. Canada 's centennial year, 1967, was marked by the inclusion of dignitaries representing both Canada and Hungary . This year also marked the first year of the presentation of the debutantes. Twelve debutantes danced the Debutante Waltz, followed by the traditional Palotás dance.
With the rising popularity of the Hungarian Veterans' Ball, it was moved to the Calgary Inn in 1968, to accommodate the patronage of 400. In 1969 Hungarian wines, a novelty at this time, were presented at the Ball. Year 1972 saw the introduction of the first Attila jackets (the gentlemen's Palotás costume). By 1975 the ball organization grew to five months. This year, in front of an audience of 500, 65 dancers showed their skills and talents. In the following years the Hungarian folk dance was introduced with a resounding success.
By 2000 more than 600 dancers have performed at the Hungária Gala Balls. Over the years the Hungária Gala Ball evolved into the spectacular event, which it is today.
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The Debutante Waltz is the highlight of the evening for the many young ladies being introduced to the Hungarian society and the community at large, as well as our honoured guests.
The “coming out” of a young woman represented a change in her status from child to adult and her “introduction” to society. This became formalized in English aristocratic society in the first half of the nineteenth century through the Victorian period. Up to the point of their coming of age of seventeen or eighteen, girls did not have much of a role, other than to attend to their schooling, as social functions and contacts were fairly limited. A young lady's introduction to society not only marked her transition to adulthood, but also her availability for marriage. Marriages were no longer being arranged by this time, so the formalization of the event helped insure that she would meet young men who were deemed suitable by her parents.
For those in “society” with contacts to the royal family, the actual coming out was the introduction of the debutante to the king or queen. This usually occurred in June when the debutante would go to the royal palace at an appointed time. This was a big event with the debutante dressed in a long gown with a trailing court train wearing a tiara headdress. Indeed, she would practice getting in and out of a coach before the appointed day so that she could move gracefully when she arrived at the palace. The event itself was quite short, but was formal and conducted with a certain amount of “pomp and ceremony”. Once introduced, the debutante emerged as an adult and it marked the beginning of her first social season, although if she did not get married or engaged, the coming out was often repeated. A young lady's coming of age was marked in most European cultures at the time, if not exactly the same way but with essentially the same significance.
Over the course of the twentieth century, the social structure has become less rigid, women have a much more varied role in society and aristocratic society has greatly diminished in importance. The tradition of the “coming out” has evolved and although less significant it is still maintained in some places as it evokes a more romantic era at a time when there are few formal functions where one can appear at their best.
At the Hungária Gala Ball many of these traditions have been preserved. Each year ten to sixteen ladies are presented to the Hungarian society and to the community at large, as well as to the representatives of municipal, provincial, and federal governments, educational institutions and civil service. The debutantes are introduced with the Debutante Waltz with a choreography and timing fit for a fairy tale. With the ladies dressed in white shimmering gowns, escorted by their equally stunning gentlemen, this truly is one of the highlights of the Hungária Gala Ball.
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A very dignified flowing dance, the Palotás (Palace Dance), is the traditional opening dance of all formal balls in Hungary . The origins of the Palotás date back to the fifteenth century. It later gained popularity in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, when it was performed in the courts of Hungary . The Palotás dancers are dressed in the traditional court attire of that time.
The Palotás has its origins in the development of an extensive life at court. The nobility adopted new social customs in order to accentuate the class distinctions. The consequence of this social separation was that the Hungarian dance fell into two categories, the dance of the nobles (or the aristocratic dance) and the popular dance. It was at this time that the Hungarian slowstep, following the example of the Polish and French dances, developed into a round dance, while keeping the Hungarian steps and figures. By the seventeenth century the Hungarian nobility had a dance for noblemen, which they called Palotás. It was a favourite in the houses of the nobility and also in the princely courts of Transylvania .
The royal court under the reign of the Habsburgs was entirely German in character as far as customs, language, costume, music, and dances were concerned. Consequently, Hungarian music and dances were rarely found at the court of the king. But in Transylvania the court of the Prince always preserved its Hungarian character. The Hungarian spirit was alive and cherished in the homes of the Transylvanian noblemen. They admired and loved the Hungarian songs and the Hungarian dances.
The Palotás reached its peak in popularity during the reign of Rákoczi Ferenc II, and it was in this period that the dance became so famous. There were many feasts and entertainments and also much dancing in the camps of the Kuruc soldiers. The Prince entertained not only his captains and the aristocrats, but also the lesser nobility, and he had to provide them with opportunities to dance. In fact, after eating, dancing was indulged at the court of the Prince.
Although the popularity of the Palotás and Hungarian dance in the second half of the seventeenth century faded in favour of foreign dances, it never disappeared. Nationalistic movements throughout the nineteenth century brought forth a resurgence of the Hungarian dances. The Hungarian ladies of the nobility appeared again at the balls in colourful Hungarian costume with headdresses of pearls. The gentlemen danced the Palotás in Hungarian costume and spurred cavalry boots. The Palotás became the lead dance at every ball.
The Palotás dance performed at the Hungária Gala Ball brings the time of royal courts and aristocracy back to life. The splendour of the ladies' colourful dresses as well as the grandeur of the gentlemen's Hungarian hussar tunics is presented through a dance to dynamic music. The dancers perform the Palotás with great feeling and dignity traditional of such a noble dance.
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The Hungarian passion for dance is world renown. Nowhere is it so evident as in the rich history and culture of the Hungarian folkdance. The folkdance enjoys an incredible variety as virtually each village has a tradition and culture of its own. Despite the various dialects of the Hungarian dances, they each share beauty of their richly decorated costumes, energetic music, and the intricacies of their steps and figures.
Despite the Hungarian passion for dancing, very little is known about the dances of the ancient Magyars (Hungarians). Their dances, however, appeared to be of religious origin, which was centered on ancestral worship. These dances became such an integral part of worship with the Magyars that their descendants performed it for many centuries after the imposition of Christianity. All the data concerning the dances of the Magyars comes from the contemporary description of their raid on St. Gallen in the 11th century. According to this Chronicle the Magyars gathered in the monastery and danced. They performed war dances with weapons in hand before their leaders. Of interests also is the decree of the 46th Synod at Buda in 1279, whereby the priests were ordered not to allow Hungarians to dance in the churches or the churchyards. This decision is also evidence of the dance customs of the ancient Hungarians. It is also documented that when the Magyar tribes entered the Carpathian Basin , they brought along three musical instruments: the drum, the pipe, and the fiddle. These instruments provided the music and rhythm characteristic of Hungarian dances. Eventually, the music and dance of each region developed a distinct style.
Through the centuries, Hungary has endured numerous hardships, which taxed its population both physically and culturally, but it was able to recover and foster its costumes, traditions, and culture. Over time great strides have been made in the acceptance of Hungarian dance and music at all levels of Hungarian societies, including the aristocrats. By the nineteenth century the dances of the common people (folkdance) have crept into the balls of the upper classes, most notably the law students' ball. Although many of the courts still maintained a German character, the balls were held in a Hungarian spirit with Hungarian costumes and dances. The Hungarian society's new dance was named Csárdás by Count Béla Wenckheim to signify that it was identical to the dance performed in the Csárda (Hungarian village inn), which was its most original form.
The days of March 1848 and the period that followed were even more favourable for the Hungarian folkdance. To enlist soldiers for the war of liberty, the captains performed intriguing men's solo dances throughout Hungary . Young men captivated by this feat joined the National Army en masse where they, besides soldiering, learned how to dance. Thus Hungarian soldiers have always been excellent dancers and when opportunity arose they merrily danced. This period produced some of the finest Hungarian dance music.
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As the Hungária Gala Ball expanded in scope, so did the participation of the youth. Since the inception of the Ball in 1956, the role and involvement of the youth grew more and more. By the seventies, a strong bond and camaraderie developed between the Palotás dancers, who wanted to maintain this closely-knit group beyond the Palotás and the Ball. They turned to the world of Hungarian folk culture with great energy and enthusiasm and by the summer of 1974 established a folk dance group.
The spirit and the dedication of the youth enthralled the Hungarian community. On these foundations, in October of 1974, the Hungarian Veterans' Association under the leadership of Tibor Rada established the Vadrózsa (Wild Rose) Hungarian Folk Dance Group. Originally, the group was to represent the Hungarian Community in the growing ethnic society of Calgary and provide entertainment at various functions, especially at the Hungária Gala Ball. From the outset, the group became a success and an eminent representative of the Hungarian cultural life both inside and outside the community.
Over the years, the dancers have learned the various historical dialects of the Hungarian folkdance culture. Their presentations are done in authentic costumes matching the dance dialects of the represented regions in Hungary . Through many performances the group has become well known in Alberta and Western Canada and has been instrumental in setting an example for many similar groups across the country. The group participates and performs in the Annual Western Canadian Hungarian Folk Dance Festivals, as well as many cities across Canada and North America . The success of the Vadrózsa Hungarian Folk Dancers has far outgrown its original concept. Although it became an independent organization in 1978, it maintains a close tie with the Hungarian Veterans' Association.
The groups' most important resources are its dancers, who have dedicated hundreds of hours to practices, and have contributed their talent, time, and energy to learn to dance and sing in the Hungarian style. Thus, with their continued efforts, they are proud to have presented Hungarian dances to audiences on more than 1000 occasions. By promoting Hungarian culture through song and dance the Vadrózsa Hungarian Folk Dancers transcend their purpose of expression of traditions and life and have provided a wonderful experience to many who have taken part, both as dancers, and as audience.
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The origins of the Hungarian Veterans' Association date back to the post war era (after World War II) with the onset of the Communist regime in Eastern Europe .
In Germany , with the leadership of brigadier-general András Zako, an organization for the purpose of freeing occupied Hungary was initiated. At first the membership included past military, police and gendarme, but soon other members of the Hungarian community joined, as Europe struggled to rebuild shattered lives following World War II. The organization quickly expanded outside of Germany and societies sharing similar ideology linked to establish today's Hungarian Veterans' Association.
The membership set a task of archiving the locations of military personnel and informing governments of their circumstances. This was done through several different forms of publication. A permanent site, Archivum Hungaricum, was established in Paris , France for the safekeeping of all documents generated, as these were also historically significant. Due to political forces, the group's initial military aims evolved into a more constructive diplomatic and educational role, that being the preservation and documentation of historical facts for future generations.
Currently there are about twenty chapters of the Association worldwide, which are active in their communities, and there may be approximately a dozen societies listed with a correspondent status. Each group manages their affairs independently but they join forces for the support of needy Hungarian veterans located in all parts of the world. The Association is also involved in local charities, and has a strong background in fostering the Hungarian military mentality and spirit through annual events to which everyone is invited.
The Calgary Association has been fortunate to have strong and capable leaders, and with ample community support has been able to establish a dominant profile in the Hungarian community as well as in the city of Calgary .
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