'Csárdas' preserves folk tradition

On Friday evening, the Hungarian dance ensemble "Csárdas" displayed a passionate folk tradition and East European tango. Part of the Lotus Education and the Arts Foundation's mission to bring world music and culture to Bloomington, "Csárdas: The Tango of the East" also served as a celebration of Hungarian artistry and athleticism. \n"(I came to the performance because) I'm in a local dance group -- the IU International Folk Dancing Group -- and am curious about what they're doing," Ph.D. student Loren Serfass said.\nOrganized as a continuous story rather than a series of independent dances, the show was loosely based on two men vying for the affection of a beautiful woman, the woman's selection and the lovers' affection and marriage. Gender and subtle sexuality were key features of the performance, as the men and women onstage -- at times totaling about 30 dancers -- tangoed as much with their flirtations as they did with their bodies.\nMixing slow dances with fast ones, the group's repertoire consisted in a large part of boot slapping, leg slapping, stomping and spinning. The dances were extremely athletic and physically demanding -- especially for the men, who made a point of constantly trying to outdo each other with faster rhythmic moves.\nThe energetic Hungarian dances often involved the entire body; at times, dancers drummed on their faces, wide open mouths and rear ends. In addition to the stomping, slapping and twirling, performers -- both men and women -- swung their hips and engaged their entire bodies in what they were doing.\nCouples dances were still upbeat, and the nature of the romantic arose more from how each dancer selected his or her partner. A love "potion" recurred throughout multiple numbers -- a woman gave some to the suitor she chose for marriage, and in a later dance, the women of the group tangoed with their male counterparts while balancing vials of potion on their heads.\nStrongly reminiscent of the Carpathian Mountain culture from which they arose, the dance group wore semi-traditional costumes. Women wore simple multi-layered, brightly colored skirts and ornate beaded or white tops, while the men donned simple shirts, vests, plain cloth pants and most importantly, very high black boots. In the case of each gender, costumes were used as props -- women used their skirts while spinning dizzily, and men used their boots as makeshift drums in the absence of a large percussion section.\nThough the dancers also sang in high-pitched voices and whistled, they were not required to make all their own music. A very talented small musical accompaniment included violins, violas, a bass, cimbalom and various wind instruments.\nAt the conclusion of the performance, audience members were invited to join the professionals onstage and take part in one of the most enduring East European traditions of the past. The Americans were a bit sloppy but just as passionate about the Hungarian art as their impromptu instructors.\nAs a family event, the evening provided something for everyone.\n"(The performance was) really enjoyable and energetic -- made me wish I was 34," patron and IU professor Gary Wiggins said.