Since the May 1990 election of Arpad Goncz to the Hungarian presidency, the forces of change, with ever-increasing momentum, have been transforming every aspect of life in Hungary. The Hungarian State Ballet, housed in Budapest's glittering State Opera House, is experiencing the same shock waves hitting all institutions in the city: youthful leadership, which must gain experience on the job; a revised, fragile economic structure; altered social policies for what had been secure positions in a government-owned shop; and something of an inverse impact from the recent relaxation of immigration rules.
Named artistic directors of the company in early 1990, Ildiko Pongor, the leading Hungarian ballerina, and Gabor Kevehazi, former premier danseur, are optimistic about the ensembles' future, once the transitional paroxysm is over. "We have everything here - a wonderful building, artists choreographers, orchestras, conductors, and designers," says Kevehazi. "Now the door to the world is open. Some people may leave, but others will stay or return."
The couple's partnership is not new, merely redefined. "I sat next to Ildiko in school," her co-director affirms, "and we danced together for almost seventeen years." Kevehazi is thirty-seven, and after a serious injury last season, he retired from an internationally acclaimed performing career. In their current relationship, Kevehazi functions as the troupe's executive director.
Dazzling Technique
Pongor is primarily concerned with reinforcing the dancer's technique through the kind of dazzling polish that has made her one of the few world-class ballerinas today. "Within two years," she predicts, "we will regain the cohesiveness disrupted by the closing of the theater for renovation and all the many subsequent changes in artistic direction." Other aspects of company organization emphasize both stability and continuity. Laszlo Seregi retains his position as resident choreographer, and the Hungarian Dance Academy (formerly the Hungarian State Ballet Institute), under the leadership of Imre Dozsa, remains on of the top five conservatories in the world.
Along with restructuring the national economy - even the currency will be altered as of January 1991 - the newly elected government is faced with a reorganization of Hungary's educational system as well. Karoly Manherz, state secretary of the Ministry of Cultural and Education, talks of implementing a planned system of public and private education that will be financed from a variety of sources, including foundations. "The government must do what is essential," he affirms, "but many big pieces are missing from our budget. Restrictions have also been placed on us by the International Monetary Fund. While we are a very little country, a priority has been set to increase the quality and variety of educational programs so that each student has more choices and, possibly, more personal expenses."
The Hungarian Dance Academy, linked with other national arts schools in a configuration similar to a university, will at some point in the future no longer be free for Hungarians. Today, only students from abroad, enrolled in either the winter or special summer programs, pay for professional training and living expenses. According to Manherz, the timetable for effecting reorganization is hard to determine. "By the time Hungary enters the European
...
Read Full Article
|
