The Circle of the Heritage House’s Friends (CHHF) held its inaugural meeting in 2007. Aim of the civil society organisation of public interest is to support the efforts of the Hungarian Heritage House to promote the folk traditions of the Carpathian-Basin in the widest possiblecircle, to popularize and preserve them, and to pass them on to future generations.
The association wished to become a forum for those who respect and cherish folk traditions; we welcome all those people amongst us who
- think that we need to preserve our long-lasting values that have been tested by communities and to ensure that our children know these;
- think that it is important that the traditional communication systems of our region – such as music, dance and handicraft – function as the future common language of all of us;
In order to reach its objectives, the Association carries out the below activities:
- scientific activities, research
- education and teaching, competency building, dissemination of information
- cultural activities
- preservation of historical sites
- activities related to national and ethnical minorities in Hungary and to Hungarian communities abroad
At its club evenings, the CHHF organises presentations, movie screenings and debates. Invited guests of the monthly events are professionals of folk culture and associated fields. The association launched its dance course with the aim of teaching dances that can be enjoyed at dance house events to lay dancers, who do not dance professionally or in an ensemble. Apart from teaching basic dance skills, we believe that learning songs and getting acquainted with the ethnographic background is also important, therefore, we also invite singers, ethnographers and people who have preserved the folk traditions (such as elderly dancers or musicians) to our events.
The most significant actions of the Association
- 20110 - Campaign organized at public spaces to promote Hungarian folk traditions
- 5 May 2012 – The association organised the I. DanceHouse Day at Liszt Ferenc tér on the occasion of the 40th anniversary of the very first dance house organised in Budapest. The event was created with the aim of turning it into a tradition: in 2014 the third event took place.
Dance House Day is an all-day outdoor event to celebrate the anniversary of the first ever Dance House in Budapest which is now over 40 years ago.
The first dance house was organized on 6th May, 1972. The initiative and its Dance House Movement spread widely and became international. The best evidence of the community building power of Dance House is the fact that nowadays different generations gather into pubs, cultural houses evening by evening. Hungarian dance houses are held regularly not only in Budapest, but all over Hungary. Even in Japan, in the USA, in Australia or in England. Hundreds of folkdance ensembles and folk bands exist; you can learn folk music and folk dance in the elementary school as well as at university level. The method of transmitting peasant heritage for the 21st century society has gained success; other countries have taken over this practice and it also served as a model for the Slovak dance house movement. The Hungarian dance house method has won the recognition to be part of UNESCO Register of Best Safeguarding Practices of Intangible Cultural Heritage.
The first DanceHouse Day was organized in Budapest by the CHHF on the 40th anniversary of the very first dancehouse.
- 2012 – Establishing the Circle of Folk Traditions’ Patrons
- 2014 - Our association organised an exhibition at two locations in Budapest about the daily coexistence of Jews and non-Jews with the title “Through recollection, resolve into peace” on the occasion of the Holocaust memorial year.
If you wish to know more about the HH Friends Circle or wish to join, please contact Ms. Angéla Hont.
The "Heritage House Friends Circle Association" can be supported through the following bank account: ERSTE Bank 11600006-00000000-25934953.
