The Committee
- Takes note that Hungary has nominated Csárdás dance tradition (No. 01892) for inscription on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity:
The csárdás is a Hungarian dance that is performed by couples consisting of a man and a woman, or, in some regions, of two women. Multiple couples participate in the dance at the same time, forming one large or several smaller circles. Each region has its own themes, gestures and figures, which are improvised according to well-known, established rules and patterns. The csárdás is a universal favourite in both village and urban dance traditions, and is performed during weddings, community events, folk dance events and on stage. It is often accompanied by a string band consisting of violins, violas and double basses. The practitioners are amateur and professional dancers who learn through formal education or folk dances. The csárdás is an expression of the self-organizing and cohesive power of communities. Dancers also sing and must pay attention to their partner as well as to surrounding couples. The partners learn to think jointly as they co-create the dance. The acquired skills can be applied to everyday life, as they improve people’s ability to adapt to others and strengthen their roles in the community. The csárdás also has an integrative social function, creating a sense of collective identity in the communities.
- Considers that, from the information included in the file, the nomination satisfies the following criteria for inscription on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity:
R.1: The csárdás dance is performed by couples consisting of a man and a woman, or, sometimes two women. The practitioners and bearers are amateur and professional dancers. The knowledge and skills are transmitted informally through observation and practice. In village communities, there are many opportunities for the element to be transmitted from generation to generation. They are also transmitted through formal means in education institutions. Over 100 amateur folk dance ensembles in Hungary also safeguard this living dance tradition. The element represents the expression of the self-organizing and cohesive power of communities and the depth of their cultural literacy. The skills associated with the element help improve people’s ability to adapt to others and strengthen their roles in the community. The element also has an integrative social function which creates a sense of collective identity in the communities.
R.2: The element contributes to quality education, gender equality and peace and social cohesion. The element is preserved by a strong formal and informal education component which is made possible by incorporating the element in educational institutions. The element is accessible to all groups and individuals and is practised equally by all genders. Csárdás fosters social cohesion and connects people emotionally, physically and mentally. It also reflects local and regional community identity. The links to the various aspects of sustainable development are also explained in some of the community’s consent letters.
R.3: During the nomination process, community members, experts, and representatives of archives, museums and education and training institutions worked together to identify the needs and plan safeguarding measures. The measures include supporting folk dance research and documentation and developing and improving online databases to make folklore collections more accessible to the public. The Hungarian Heritage House organizes táncház (folk dance parties) and workshops for Hungarian communities abroad in order to pass on the csárdás tradition. The annual national Táncház Festival organized by the Dance-house Guild will include supplemental activities that provide a more complete picture of the socio-cultural background surrounding the csárdás, while the Hungarian Dance Academy is in the process of developing several pedagogical methods that provide experience-based dance lessons for children in preschool or primary school.
R.4: Representatives of local communities and dance ensembles play an important role in planning and implementing safeguarding measures. The Hungarian Heritage House organized a professional forum on 5 November 2019 which provided an opportunity to inform the communities and stakeholders about the nomination process and to develop safeguarding plans. On 15 and 16 November 2019, the Hungarian Dance Academy’s international ‘Dance and Cultural Heritage’ conference defined concrete goals. The annual Táncház Festival also provides a venue for continuous discourse about csárdás preservation strategies for all individuals and organizations involved. Competitions, conferences and workshops provided participants the chance to define and present their own csárdás heritage and to hold discussions about safeguarding measures. Various letters of consent from the communities were submitted as part of the nomination form.
R.5: The element was included in the National Inventory of Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2019. The inventory is managed by the Directorate of Intangible Cultural Heritage of the Hungarian Open Air Museum. Information regarding the updating frequency and how the communities were involved in the inventorying process are included in the periodic report submitted in 2022.
- Decides to inscribe Csárdás dance tradition on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.