We Found New Friends in Brussels!

We met an absolutely amazing team in Brussels. At the invitation of the Viola Dance Ensemble, we had the chance to play and celebrate at the first Hungarian táncház (folk dance party) ever held in Brussels. The whole dance group pitched in to organize and run the event, but the heart and soul behind it all were clearly Bori Máté and Feri Robinek. They welcomed us into their home, fed us (including cheese!), let us use their iron, didn’t mind our snoring, and chatted with us even when there was nothing important to say. We’ve already agreed to invite them back as soon as we have a reason—but haven’t told them yet, just so they don’t think we’re speaking into thin air (though really, where else would we be speaking? To the wall? A pillow? Into the middle of the grown-ups’ conversations?). The táncház was a blast—turns out Gergő Csendes isn’t so quiet after all, but he sings and dances beautifully. Bori and Feri’s warm and consistent presence and leadership mesmerized many people—myself included. The next day, since we were already in town, we played at Antoine and Fanni’s wedding too (in fact, the táncház the night before was part of the celebration). Antoine performed a Kalotaszeg men’s solo dance for the opening, which was met with thunderous applause. Then came the csárdás and the fast dances. Their performance—shaped by Bori and Feri’s teaching, their thorough preparation, and their constant, mutual attention—was truly impressive. It was all topped off by Bori’s perfectly curated original Kalotaszeg folk costumes. It was incredible! Antoine found his shoes a bit tight for dancing, so my black shoes also got to join the opening dance. Even more incredible.