Aside from visiting our cousins, we were also in Budapest because we had tickets for a dance performance this past Sunday afternoon. The Experidance show, Gypsies of Nagyida, was based on a semi-comic poem by Janos Aranyi, written as a parody of the war stories of the struggle for independence between the Austians and Hungarians, and it is based on a true story.
The choreaography, music, and performance of the young dancers was awe-inspiring. It was modern, but with traditional Hungarian themes. As I’ve said before, it’s difficult to escape history anywhere you go. At the same time, it revealed another side of Hungarian arts and culture that I found uplifting. If you go to the Experidance website, you can click on the video tab and see excerpts from the dance performance.
As you can see from the photo, a several of us from the Fulbright group attended. We met up on the Var and grabbed a bite to eat at a great little outdoor cafe and then walked over to the National Dance Theater…two minutes away, also on the Var. For us, it was bittersweet, as Bernard and I will miss the Fulbright going away party that is scheduled for later this month…so this was our good-bye.
The time is running away from us. When we arrived, 4-1/2 months seemed like a long time. One of my classes ended today; another ends next week. My final class is on the 19th of May, and on the 20th we will take the train to Prague to meet the kids. If you have to say goodbye, this was a sweet way to do it.
Thanks for tuning in and best regards,
Marcsi
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