GÁBORNÉ FARKAS THE DANCE LIFE OF THE PEOPLE OF DUSNOK A FEW WORDS ABOUT DUSNOK Dusnok is a village along the Vajas branch of the Danube, situated in the Kalocsa Sárköz region. It lies halfway between Baja and Kalocsa, close to the River Danube. Its neighboring settlements are: the Rác village of Bátya; the continuously Hungarian, Catholic village of Fajsz; the Catholic Hungarian village of Sükösd, resettled in the early 18th century; the continuously Hungarian, Reformed village of Érsekcsanád; the Catholic Slovak village of Miske; and the Catholic German villages of Nemesnádudvar and Hajós. Relatively close to Dusnok are the Kalocsa farm settlements—Szakmár, Homokmégy, Öregcsertő, and Drágszél—renowned for their folk decorative arts and dance traditions. The indigenous population of Dusnok referred to itself as Rác in the first half of the 20th century and spoke a variant of the Croatian language. Linguistically and culturally, they were closely related to the Bačka Bunjevci and Šokci. The Catholic Rác population of Dusnok—referred to in more recent scholarly terminology as Rác Croats—settled in the area at the end of the 17th and the beginning of the 18th century. They likely assimilated several families of medieval Hungarian origin who had also settled in Dusnok. Prior to the emancipation of serfs, the people of Dusnok were for a long period were serfs/tenants of the Kalocsa Archbishopric (an ecclesiastical landlord), and later, for a few years, of the Kalocsa Cathedral Chapter. György Martin divided the dance culture of the Hungarian language area into three major units: 1. the Western or Danubian, 2. the Central or Tisza-region, and 3. the Eastern or Transylvanian dance dialects. As Dusnok lies in the Kalocsa Sárköz along the Danube, its dance culture belongs to the so-called Western or Danubian dance dialect. DANCE OCCASIONS AND DANCE CONDUCT Organization of Dance Events With the exception of Advent and Lent, youth dance events were organized in Dusnok throughout the year. During spring agricultural work, summer harvest, and major autumn fieldwork, dances were held less frequently. At such times, weddings and other family celebrations provided occasions for merrymaking. Weddings were preferably held after the paprika harvest. Even in the mid-20th century, most Sunday dances were organized within traditional frameworks, mainly under the guidance of influential young people. A large corner house stood near the marketplace. Until 1972, when a new community center was opened, this building served as the village’s cultural venue. It is still owned by the Csongrádi family. In the past, members of this family organized festivities, hired musicians, and initiated publicity for events. Girls often gathered around the church, which was also considered an important dance location: after wedding ceremonies, wedding parties regularly danced beside the church before proceeding to the wedding venue. Weddings and formal balls were often held in tents, most commonly erected in the courtyard of the café on Posta Street or the Vajas café on the Baja road.
Public Announcement Village criers and musicians played a major role in announcing dance events. Music began when young people exited the church in the afternoon. Invitations—specifically the formal act of inviting girls to dance—were conducted with seriousness and ceremonial dignity even in the recent past. A young man with a serious courtship relationship would, on the evening before the ball, ask the girl’s parents for permission to take her to the dance. Admission Fee Admission fees were collected by the organizing committee. It was customary for young men to pay the entrance fee for girls. Girls rarely paid, and if they did, usually only half. Occasionally, groups of girls entered together, accompanied by parents, and paid their own admission. Dance Etiquette, Appearance, and Costume Local standards of etiquette governed how young women and men attended dances. Who accompanied a girl and in what manner depended on the nature of the event. Families attended weddings together and were expected to return home together at night. Different customs applied to preló gatherings or Sunday afternoon dances versus all-night festivities. Girls attended afternoon dances in groups, known as drugarice (close female friends). Parents or godparents often appeared as spectators until a girl had a serious suitor. Both young men and women prepared carefully for balls. Clothing was determined by local dance etiquette. In Dusnok, traditional costumes were made of expensive fabrics. Girls generally did not wear their grand festive church attire to dances; instead, they chose simpler yet still festive clothing distinct from everyday wear. After weddings, brides removed their ceremonial silk dresses and returned home to change, leaving wedding tents nearly empty. For balls, girls wore a pendel (small petticoat), a krilo (large underskirt), and over these a wide skirt sewn from many panels. Beneath the skirt, they wore a kukova (bustle pad). Blouses could be short- or long-sleeved. Married couples also attended dances. Married women could only be invited to dance with their husband’s consent. Married men could freely dance with girls, and skilled dancers were especially popular. Unmarried girls did not wear headscarves; they attended with hair braided into a bun, sometimes adorned with a small wreath if engaged. Young married women wore head coverings (fityula). Older women wore scarves tied under the chin. Men wore seasonally appropriate festive attire with hats. Inviting to Dance, Courtship, and Partner Selection Girls sat along the walls inside the dance hall. When inviting a girl to dance, it was proper to say her full name. Being physically pulled into a dance occurred mainly when uninvited guests at weddings were caught by acquaintances and compelled to dance. A young man first danced with the girl he courted or invited to the ball, then with relatives and neighbors. The final dance was expected to be with the girl whose admission he had paid, as this allowed him to escort her home. Each dance was expected to be completed with the same partner; the custom of “cutting in” was unknown in older dances. Forcing Out of the Dance, Being Played Out Women’s subordinate social role was also reflected in dance etiquette. They rarely initiated dances. If a girl offended a young man or refused a dance, he could place her in
an awkward position. If, during dancing, a girl behaved improperly—removed her hand from his shoulder or resisted being led—the offended young man could eject her from the floor. He would signal the band, and to the tune known as vakpali (in this case, the Rákóczi March), lead her toward the door and out into the street. Such incidents were not spoken of openly in the village. Conduct at the Ball Girls were expected to behave modestly at balls and avoid flirtation. Dancing revealed a girl’s character. Since dance played a dominant role in courtship and partner selection, adherence to dance etiquette was essential. Dance also served a social function in shaping communal taste. Dance Shouts An indispensable element of festivities was the use of dance shouts—csujogatás and shouted responses. These were performed both in Hungarian and in the local Rác language. Example of a call-and-response form: In Rác: Young man: Milo draga isobi k vama, hujujujujujj! Al vam sklisko pred vratama, hujujujujujj! Girl: Dojdi dragi, neće biti, hujujujujujj! Peskom ću ti posipati, hujujujujujj! In Hungarian: Young man: “My dear love, I would come to you, hujujujujujj! But it’s slippery in front of your door, hujujujujujj!” Girl: “Come, my dear, it won’t be, hujujujujujj! I’ll scatter sand on it, hujujujujujj!” DANCE TRADITIONS CONNECTED TO FESTIVE DAYS Advent and Christmas The four weeks preceding Christmas are known as Advent, a time of preparation during which no weddings, music, or dancing take place. The last ball was held on St. Catherine’s Day. Already in the first week of Advent, preló’s (spinning gatherings) began and lasted until the day before Ash Wednesday. Girls attended these according to age groups; those who had finished school could already participate. Girls arranged to meet at one another’s houses in the evenings. Several locations in the village hosted such gatherings, often tied to specific neighborhoods. These groups typically consisted of eight to ten girls. While working, they sang and chatted. No formal dancing occurred at traditional preló’s, but they provided opportunities for social interaction. These gatherings took place from Monday to Saturday evenings and lasted two to three hours. The Dusnok spinning gatherings disappeared in the 1960s. In the first half of the 20th century, a ball was held on the day after Christmas. New Year’s Eve and New Year celebrations took place within family and friend circles. Carnival (Farsang) In the first half of the 20th century, Carnival in Dusnok was characterized by feasting, drinking, and merriment. Balls were organized for different age groups. The three-day Carnival celebration (Sunday–Tuesday) lasted until the mid-20th century, after which it moved into kindergartens and schools, featuring costume contests, games, and dancing. Easter
Before Easter, children played outdoor games in the Elegyur and Bara areas. Easter Monday was dedicated to sprinkling rituals, which in the first half of the 20th century were performed with well water rather than perfume. The holiday concluded with an evening dance. Pentecost On Pentecost Sunday afternoon, people gathered for dancing after the litany. Another ball was held on Monday afternoon. Pentecost remains significant in the village today. Since 1992, the Rác Pentecost Festivities have been organized. After Mass, people gather in a large square under Bara. In the morning, children’s competitions and games are held; in the afternoon, South Slavic dance groups from nearby settlements, as well as Hungarian and Croatian folk singing groups, perform in a dance house. In the evening, the Bara Ball lasts until dawn, reviving the traditional Dusnok wedding dance. WEDDING CUSTOMS During wedding processional dances, the wedding party stops at major village locations—such as the town hall and major intersections—to dance the csárdás: first a circular csárdás, then aprózó and cifra, before continuing toward the ceremony site with a procession dance. Another csárdás is danced in front of the church, followed by a procession to the groom’s house. After the afternoon meal, the bride’s guests return to the bride’s home without her; she remains at the groom’s house and returns only at midnight for the bride’s dance. The candle dance precedes the midnight bride’s dance and originates from bourgeois dances, including the waltz. It symbolizes unity. The bride’s dance is performed at both wedding houses. Musicians place a table for gifts, visible to all. The best man announces: “The bride and groom are for sale!” Guests dance with the couple in exchange for gifts. Close relatives dance first, followed by friends and neighbors. When the dance nears its end, the couple grabs the money basket and runs out of the tent. A plate is thrown after them; if it shatters into many pieces, it foretells abundant offspring. The dance type is always the csárdás. Before the new wife’s dance, the bride receives a head covering (fityula). The couple dances together in the center of a closed circle formed by relatives and friends. The dance is a circular csárdás. Farewell dances symbolize the bride’s departure from her parents and acceptance into her husband’s family. An essential entertainment dance is the mask dance, performed between the bride’s dance and the new wife’s dance. Masked performers parody the couple, collecting small donations for the musicians. FORMAL AND STRUCTURAL CHARACTERISTICS OF THE DANCES Circular dances were especially popular in Dusnok. Although commonly associated with Balkan peoples—particularly the kolo—circle dances characterize the entire Hungarian language area. Dusnok dance culture reflects influences from the Kalocsa and Tolna Sárköz regions as well as South Slavic traditions along the Danube. The most common dance in Dusnok is the csárdás, danced in smaller or larger circles. Pair forms occur, but without flirtatious release-and-recall figures. The mars (processional dance) features swinging movements with forward emphasis. All dances begin with a slow csárdás, followed by a fast one, and conclude with the ugrós.
STAGE DANCES AND TRADITION PRESERVATION In the late 1940s, a tambura ensemble accompanied weddings. Later, wind instruments were added to wedding processions, initially foreign to local tradition but eventually integrated. This continued until 1972, when Milkovics György (“Gyuri”) arrived in Dusnok. A local dance group currently operates under the name Remenica Dance Ensemble, founded in 1992, chaired by Milkovics György, with choreography by Gergely Kovács. The ensemble is accompanied by the band Racke zice and supported by the local municipality and minority self-government. In 1999, the ensemble received an excellent rating in Pécsvárad.