Dance - Europe´s living heritage in motion

From Archives to a Local Community 

The Institute of Ethnomusicology at the Research Centre of the Slovenian Academy of Sciences and Arts preserves an extensive sound collection with original field recordings of Slovenian folk music, including Rudi Sečnik’s from Samotorica, known locally as Cankarjev Rudi. In the 1980s, Rudi Sečnik recorded himself playing the diatonic button accordion, hoping that these dance melodies would not be lost and forgotten. This archival sound material, which is directly linked to the dance heritage of Horjul, was the starting point for a creative collaboration with the local community as part of the Dance – ICH project. 

In co-creation with a local primary school and folk-dance group, we tried to make the historical audio document relevant for the present. Transferring the archival recordings into an accessible audio format gave the musicians and dancers a basis for new musical and dance practices. We paid particular attention to live musical accompaniment, which is essential for a participatory dance experience based on local heritage. Traditional sounds and steps have been brought to life in new ways and are now ready to be used in contemporary dance venues. The sustainability of dance starts with good live music that you can dance to. 

A couple dance: sotiš  

Various dances form the dance tradition of Slovenia. Nowadays, some dances are only presented during performances by folk dance ensembles, while two dances, the sotiš and šamarjanka (Varsovienne), are still alive. Both dances are couple dances, spontaneously danced on various occasions, e.g. at parties, family gatherings, weddings, junior proms, proms, and festivals. The region that has preserved these dances the longest is Prekmurje, where these dances represent an important identification element to the local population. 

Many dancers also dance as part of folk dance ensembles, where different generations, from the youngest to the oldest, create different choreographies. These represent their creativity and their connection to tradition simultaneously. Folk dance ensembles play a significant role in transferring knowledge and raising awareness of the presence of dance tradition in Prekmurje, which then spontaneously comes to life with good music at numerous celebrations and events. 

Sotiš is a name given in the Prekmurje region to a variety of couple dance known as sotiš (schottische). It is defined by a specific structure of two triple steps forward (or right-left) and a four-step turn (or triple steps). In certain variants, a part of the performance includes clapping. 

Dancing as living heritage in Greece 

The Hellenic dance tradition stands as one of the most significant aspects of its living intangible cultural heritage. As evidenced by ethnographic findings across the country and in the communities of the Greek diaspora, Greek dance is performed, embodied, carried, presented and transmitted by people, via festive and everyday cultural experiences and practices. Strongly related to identity-making processes and intricately linked with community building procedures, dance fosters intergenerational connections and promotes interregional social interaction. Thus, in the post-modern era, although individuals inevitably engage with local and global cultures, Greek traditional dance and dancing is recognized as a flourishing, vibrant and robust whole.  

In this context, dances with local and/or wider range are performed in various social environments, expressing and serving the needs of contemporary people. Local, and nationwide dances like ‘syrtos’, exhibiting numerous variations, compose the colourful mosaic of Greek dance heritage, fulfilling, through their performance, the needs of personal expression, social communication, and transgenerational continuity.  

Members of the dance academic community have played and continue to play a pivotal role in this phenomenon. On the one hand, they contribute to the study of dance, conducting systematic ethnographic research. On the other hand, they consistently support the diverse initiatives of heritage communities in all efforts to document, preserve, and revitalise their dance traditions. 

The Carolling Lads Group’s traditional dances  

The Carolling Lads Group from Rucăr, Brașov County, is distinguished by how it has ​​​​been established and performs. It represents a social and cultural context in which dance occurs and is transmitted. This is an essential part of the festive rituals of the community, and alongside the folk costume, it determines the preservation of community cohesion through participatory practices.  

The Lads Group’s dances have been mentioned in ASTRA Musem's archive since 1956. The male dance Fecioreasca, the couples dances Poșovoaica (Hațegana), Șchioapa (Învârtita), and the group dances Jiana and Sârba are still being performed by the whole community. The movements of each type of dance are passed down from one generation to the next. Experienced members of the Lads Group have the task of teaching younger members to understand and master the dance techniques.   

Dance is present at all festive events in which the Lads Group is involved from its constitution (early December) to its burial (mid-January), event marked by dances, fire and shouts. The fire represents rebirth, prepares us for the New Year and purifies and buries the past year. 

The presence of specific elements such as the costume, the song (shouts), the music (the melodic line), and choreography (the movements specific to each type of dance) make traditional dance one of the most complex expressions of intangible cultural heritage. 

Sárköz, living heritage in a Hungarian cultural region  

The Sárköz is a characteristic cultural region of the lower Danube in Hungary. Its inner part is ethnographically composed of five settlements (Decs, Őcsény, Sárpilis, Alsónyék, Báta), but the public often includes Pörböly as well. The Reformed population living in the area developed rich folk art in the 19th century. The main reason for this was the levelling of the Danube after its regulation and the subsequent enrichment of the region. The characteristic culture of weaving and embroidery, beaded collars, colourful costumes made of precious materials and accessories, the dialect and the folk songs and dances typical of the area together define the cultural identity of the people of the Sárköz. 

The csárdás is a typical couple dance in the Sárköz dance tradition, and its slow and friss version is still part of their cultural heritage. In this region, the csárdás is a very deep-rooted and important dance type that has flourished in the recent past. In addition to the few motifs found in the slow part, the friss part is characterised by a richness of motifs. Nowadays, the csárdás is mainly danced at weddings, community celebrations, dance houses and on stage. 

The traditions of the Sárköz are passed down within families and institutions. While dancing the csárdás, dancers also sing and pay attention both to their partners and to others around them. They learn to have a joint reflection with their partner as they co-create the dance motifs, and they develop their rhythm, improvisation skills, and musicality. Dancers can apply the acquired skills in their everyday lives, improving their ability to adapt to others, and strengthening their roles in the community. 

A local dance party!  

The traditional dance communities in Trondheim practice a combination of traditional folk dances such as waltz, reinlender (schottis), mazurka, polka, the village dance from our region: pols, and the Norwegian forms of swing dance, foxtrot, slow, and one step; dances that the general people have danced the last centuries and still dance today. People in their 80’s and 90’s today still remember from their youth, dancing at dance parties every weekend at local community houses.   

These dances continue to be practiced today in dance groups that rehearse informally once a week, either folk dances or swing dances. What the dance communities express as a common challenge is the present situation with few good, informal, intergenerational meeting arenas for dance parties. These dance parties, both informal and advertised parties, have for decades been an arena mostly for the elder generations.   

Because of digital development, younger generations are no longer exposed to such inclusive dance arenas in which you meet people in an intimate but safe place, where the youths get to experience good relational moments that dancing socially implies. These are important factors to safeguard and transmit with the aim of social sustainability for younger generations.  

Trondheim is an urban city in the middle of Norway, and it has a population with a high percentage of students. The students, who are very eager to dance both swing dances and traditional folk dances, inspire the younger generations and young adults to join the parties.   

The dance communities in Trondheim wish to bring back to life the good old large dance parties, with a mix of generations and a mix of dances from both swing and folk dance genres.