Csardas show to display 'Tango of the East'

Synchronized couple dancing, infectious boot slapping and rapid spinning are all in a day's work for members of Csardas, a Hungarian folk dance group. The group, which performs dances from the Carpathian Basin (which includes the countries of Hungary and Romania), will be featured Friday at the Buskirk-Chumley Theater.\nThe performance will be sponsored by the Lotus Education and the Arts Foundation, Buskirk-Chumley Marketing Director Suzanne Strick said.\nBringing world music and culture to Bloomington, the Lotus Foundation seeks to showcase quality performers and musical groups from around the globe. \n"The performance (will be) a high-quality presentation of Hungarian traditional music and dance in a modern setting," said Lee Williams, the Lotus Foundation's executive and artistic director.\nRegarded as performing the "tango of the East" partly because of its use of old-fashioned couple dancing, Csardas maintains many lyrical dance traditions of Eastern Europe. Using both slow and fast musical techniques, couples flaunt their strong masculinity and femininity during the pieces. \nAccording to the group's Web site, http://csardas.org, these couple dances are generally regarded as the "soul of the (Hungarian) people" and "agents of cultural identity." As the Hungarian culture is a passionate and animated one, the native group takes great pride in portraying its heritage for those unfamiliar with it.\nStrongly Hungarian, this brand of Eastern European folk dancing became so popular, it was adopted by Romanians, Polish, Croats and gypsies. \nThough the dances are adapted for the stage, the numbers performed Friday will be fundamentally similar to dances done hundreds of years ago. Csardas is an active member of the Dance Hall movement, which seeks to preserve traditional improvisational village dances in the public setting. \nThe group will be trying to emulate as many traditional Hungarian conventions as possible -- including the use of commonly performed folk music. \nThe folk music will consist primarily of violins, and it will be performed by both trained musicians and a gypsy band.\nHaving any live music in such a large group is rare -- Csardas is made up of approximately 30 dancers, and instrumental recordings are often used in such situations, Williams said. \nDancers seek to entertain and educate, as the show is a visual spectacle as well as a lesson in folklore.\n"(The show is) a wonderful experience for anyone who enjoys folklore; it is very similar to the Lotus Festival (in its aims). We want to share our culture with everyone in Bloomington, especially the young people," tour producer Kalman Magyar said.\nEach show allows patrons to actually attempt the folk dances, creating a very interactive and participatory environment. \n"Every show ends in a standing ovation ... It's a beautiful presentation to anyone who comes to see it," Magyar said. \nAimed to please audiences of all ages, Csardas presents a family-friendly show through which viewers of all ages can catch a glimpse of a highly artistic and vibrant culture. One of the most pervasive components of the group's style of dance is its sheer emotionality, and audiences can expect a highly entertaining experience.\nAccording to Magyar, the dancers and musicians come from Budapest and are very passionate about their art form. \nThe performance will take place at 7:30 p.m. Friday at the Buskirk-Chumley Theater. Tickets are $25 at the door or $20 in advance. For more information, visit www.buskirkchumley.org. To find out more about the Lotus Foundation, its aims of bringing world music to Bloomington and future programs, visit www.lotusfest.org.