Testvériség Néptáncegyüttes

About Us

History of the group

1963


Alapító tagok 1963.

The Sopron Brotherhood Folk Dance Ensemble was founded in 1963. They aimed to collect and transmit the German “Hienz” culture of Sopron and its surrounding villages to posterity. The artistic leader was István Brieber for 25 years, his choreographies are still performed by the dance ensemble, thus they are commemorating the oeuvre of “Uncle Pityu”.

Through their dances, the ensemble introduces the long-forgotten German national traditions and the dialects of folk dance in the Hungarian language area to the current and emerging generation.
The group plays an important role in the dance life of our region, takes an active role in nurturing the traditions of Sopron and the surrounding villages, and regularly participates in national and international festivals.

1988


From 1988, József Csoltói took over the artistic management of the ensemble and take care of the education of the young people.

The members of the group teach the youth from preschool. Then the educated generation becomes the active dancer of the adult age.

Éva Baranyai and Béla Kadnár teaches „Our little brothers” in Sopron. Márta Csoltóiné Szalai leads children’s dance groups at the Ágfalvi Napsugár Kindergarten and with her husband at the Ágfalvi Váci Mihály Primary School.

1998


The group is proud of several accolades, including three gold awards, choreography awards, and a level award. The Memorial Medal for the Culture of Sopron was first donated to the dance group by our city in 1998.

2010


Our youth and adult group received a gold qualification at the Győr-Moson-Sopron County Qualification Competition in 2010.

2013


Fotó Kálmán Istvánné

The Csoltói couple won the Fülöp Ferenc award.

The Elemér Muharay Folk Art Association organized the Ferenc Fülöp Traditional Solo Dance Competition in Isaszeg on April 27, 2013, where each competitor had to present their dance tradition in an improvisational, style-oriented way.

Márta Csoltóiné Szalai and József Csoltói fascinated the jury with German ethnic dances around Sopron, who evaluated them according to the following aspects: traditional performance, improvisational skills, authentic appearance (folk costume).

The professional jury rewarded the Ferenc Fülöp Prize for the Csoltói couple for their outstanding performance in the competition.

The Brotherhood Folk Dance Ensemble participated in the National Traditional Folk Dance Qualification Competition organized by the ElemérMuharay Folk Art Association in Kapuvár on April 13 2013

With the choreography of Márta Csoltóiné Szalai and József Csoltói: “Memories of Aunt Rézi”, the group achieved an excellent rating, which they were giving a taste of the events of an informant’s life and the traditions of “Hienz” German folk dance in Sopron and its surroundings.

The group received the „Commemorative Medal for Sopron” award in 2013. The folk dance ensemble celebrated its 50th anniversary on 23th of November. On this remarkable occasion, the City of Sopron, in recognition of the half-century-long work of the Brotherhood Dance Ensemble, awarded the Commemorative Dance Ensemble with the Commemorative Medal for Sopron, which was presented by Deputy Mayor Géza Abdai to artistic director József Csoltói. At the gala, the members of the group’s founders, including a 78-year-old dancer took part in the dancing performance.

The youngest dancers were preschoolers from the Little Brothers Children’s Dance Group and children from the Patakugrók Dance Ensemble from Ágfalva. In the first half of the jubilee gala show, there were dances about the seasons and famous days, in the second half, the audience could have fun at a “Hienz” wedding in Sopron. An exhibition presented the 50 years of the dance group and also published a book on half-century history.

2014


Elkészült a Testvériség Néptáncegyüttes 50 éves fennállásának jubileumi kiadványa,

50th anniversary
The 50th-anniversary publication of the Brotherhood Folk Dance Ensemble has been completed, which provides interesting data on the most important events of the development from 1963 to the present day.

The publication and its annexes can be ordered from our address and contact persons.
Our 50th-anniversary gala show is now available in DVD and FULL HD quality.

2018


55th anniversary
The folk dance ensemble organized its 55th anniversary with a festive gala program in Sopron on November 17, 2018.

Watch photos about the gala in our photo gallery: 55th-anniversary photos