The Dancers

Zoltán Varga ‘Zoli’ and Katalin András ‘Kata’ are professional dance teachers from Transylvania. They are both are graduates from the Sapienta Performing Arts University in Kolosvár. Kata was born in Csíkszereda and from a young age, worked with the Hargita State Székely Folk Ensemble. She now teaches many dance ensembles in the Kalotaszeg region and recently performed with the Hungarian State Theatre of Kolosvár in The Young Barbarians. Zoli was born and bred in Méra. He now teaches over 200 children and young people in the Kalotaszeg region. Under his direction in 2016, the Méra Cifra Dance Ensemble were finalists in the Fölszállott a Páva TV competition and in 2017, winners in their category. In 2019-2020 Zoli travelled to New Jersey, USA with the Kőrösi Csoma Sándor program, teaching dance. In 2023, Zoli & Kata visited Australia for the first time, teaching Kalotaszegi to dancers from around Australia at the Gold Coast Találkozó, culminating in a grand finale performance with over 40 dancers on stage. Zoli is also the founder and creator of the FolkOtthon media channel which is now known and loved around of the world.

Teaching the beginners class will be Gyuri (György or George) Kubányi from Hungary and our own Mish (Michelle) Turcsányi. Gyuri is from Sátoraljaújhely, Hungary. In 2023, Gyuri spent a year living in Perth teaching dance via the Körösi Csoma Sándor Program (KCSP). He has been dancing all of his life, starting with the Zemplén Folk Dance Ensemble and then later with the Kertész Dance Company in Budapest. He has toured and performed in Asia and South America. In his words "I believe it is important to nurture our wonderful Hungarian culture, our diverse dances and our Hungarian language with its rich vocabulary on both sides of the border, so that future generations can have access to the Hungarian identity". Michelle has been living and breathing Hungarian dance her whole life. She teaches Kengugró Folklore Ensemble in Sydney and has travelled many times to Hungary and Transylvania to learn and experience the real stuff.