HUNGARIAN HARVEST DANCE 2003

 Our annual Harvest Dance celebration took place on October 4, 2003 at the American Legion Hall on Hwy. 43, near Springfield. A dinner, consisting of stuffed cabbage, kolbasz, cucumber salad, homemade bread and Hungarian pastries, was served from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.  Various events took place throughout the early afternoon. Margaret Resetar and Helen Kropog demonstrated how to make palacsinta. They sold their finished products to the onlookers for a mere 25 cents each and had all the business that they could handle! Many watched in amazement as Helen Nyeki showed the crowd how to make homemade egg noodles. 

  Vicky Mocsary and Suzie Green performed several Hungarian songs, such as Jo Napot Kivanok, Piros Piros Piros, and Az a Szep, a long-time community favorite. Mary Ivanyisky demonstrated her fabulous crocheting techniques through part of the morning and afternoon. George Lezu told amazing, and sometimes amusing stories of his youth (the good old days) to the interested onlookers. Irene Good, with the aide of Helen, her daughter-in-law, and grand-daughters, Megan and Christen, showed onlookers how to make csorege, one of the favorite pastries of Hungarian Settlement. The food booth provided various items, such as cabbage noodles, kolbasz and stuffed cabbage, throughout the rest of the day and well into the evening.
    The Hungarian Band, Eletfa, was on hand to visit, sing, dance and play wonderful Hungarian folk music at various intervals throughout the late morning and early afternoon.
 


     At 3:00 p.m.,  Eletfa once again entertained the crowd with an outstanding concert of  Hungarian folk songs. At five o’clock, when the concert ended, Jim King, president of the AHSCA, make announcements and introduced Suzie Green, who sang the Star Spangled Banner.

    The Baton Rouge International Folk Dancers, led by Vonnie Brown, entertained the crowd for nearly an hour with all kings of authentic folk dances from Hungary. AHSCA dancers performed some of the dances, such as the Gancsi, Kevi, and Olahos, with the Baton Rouge dancers.

Ciarra Ivanyisky and Partner


Several young children, dressed in miniature dance costumes could be seen all over the Legion Hall. Just before 7:00 P.M., the AHSCA dancers performed the Hungarian Harvest Dance beneath a canopy of fruit, which has been a tradition in the community for many years. Proud parents, friends, relatives and other guests watched intently as the dancers, dressed in white costumes, trimmed in red, white, and green, moved around the dance floor.  Eletfa once again provided the music the Harvest Dance. Some guests even joined in singing when the last dance was performed. When the Harvest Dance was over, many joined in for the “grabbing of the fruit.”
    Pete Pfiffner donated the wine that was auctioned off during the festivities of the evening. Louis Monic and his Boudin Band provided the music for the dancing and entertainment for the rest of the evening.

A special thanks goes out to the Harvest Dance Committee and anyone else who helped to make this event possible!
Harvest Dance Committee Members:  Marty and Nita Farkas, Sue Martin, Louis Monic and Christine Thornhill.