THE HISTORY OF BALLET PÉCS

Ballet Pécs was founded by Imre Eck in 1960 as the very first modern ballet company of Hungary. Dancers interpreted their own lives, the role of art vs artist. They wore modern clothes, sometimes only a leotard and no toeshoes and danced to the brand new works of contemporary Hungarian composers. The unique dance language of Ballet Pécs was created by Imre Eck using based on classical ballet with a combination of folk dance and his own peculiar language of movements. The company quickly became one of the most acknowledged and respected ballet companies of Europe in the 1960’s and 1970’s. Imre Eck was the director of Ballet Pécs till 1969. From 1969 till 1992 he was the artistic director and the choreographer of the company.

Sándor Tóth Merited Artist, one of the founding members of Ballet Pécs was the director and choreographer of the company between 1969 and 1991. He started a new era by inviting young talents and young choreographers to work with Ballet Pécs. He was accepted both by the audience and the profession. His works were praised for his taste of music, sensitivity of form, his humor and his attraction to classical ballet and jazz.

István Herczog Harangozó Award laureate artist was the director and choreographer of Ballet Pécs between 1992 and 2001. Having worked as the solo dancer, choreographer and later director of prestigious German ballet companies, Mr Herczog spent successful years in a different kind of artistic life compared to what we had in Hungary at the time. He reorganized Ballet Pécs by inviting young graduates from the Secondary Special School of Arts of Pécs. Criticts emphasized his delicate style and taste, the balanced combination of classical and modern dance and that Art was always present in his choreographies. 

In 2001 Gábor Keveházi Kossuth Award laureate Merited Artist took the direction of the company.  He was supported by Attila Egerházi, choreographer, as artistic director from 2001 to 2003. Their slogan was „the legend continues” – with an aim to follow the original concept of Imre Eck. Ballet Pécs has always been open to accept new trends and to include a wide scale of various genres and styles in their repertoire.

Since 2005 Ballet Pécs is under the direction of  Balázs Vincze. His company tries to follow Imre Eck’s heritage by having a similar attitude: today’s Ballet Pécs isn’t inclined to copy others but wants to create a new style, their very own form language. For this they need to win their audience. Balázs Vincze’s main aim is to create performances for the young audiences and thus to educate young people to make them accept and like ballet and dance.

Performances of the recent years have had a characteristic dance language that is built on a combination of a wide spectrum from classical ballett to street dance. The best characteristics and traditions of dance theatre are represented, when dance, scenery, music and story form unify to make a coherent whole and an unforgettable performance.

Directors

Imre Eck – the founder of Ballet Pécs, director of ballet from 1960-1969, and artistic director and choreographer of ballet until 1992.

Sándor Tóth – Director and choreographer of Ballet Pécs from 1969-1991.

István Herczog - Director and choreographer of Ballet Pécs from 1992-2001.

Attila Egerházi – Artistic director and choreographer of Ballet Pécs from  2001-2003.

Gábor Keveházi - Director and choreographer of Ballet Pécs from 2001-2005.

Balázs Vincze – Director of Ballet Pécs from August 2005.

info@pecsibalett.hu

Performances since 2001:

In First Position (26 October 2001 National Theatre of Pécs) 

Bálinka (choreography: Gábor Keveházi)

Partitions au Patio (choreography: Myriam Naisy)  

Play-grounds (choreography: Attila Egerházi)

Wind Rises (14 December 2001 National Theatre of Pécs)

(choreography: Attila Egerházi)

Carmen-loves (5 April 2002 National Theatre of Pécs) 

The last vision (choreography: Gábor Keveházi)

Dances from Vienna (choreography: Raza Hammadi)

Carmen (choreography: Attila Egerházi)

Miniatures (18 February 2002 National Theatre of Pécs) 

Chopin:  Mazurkas (choreography: Gábor Keveházi)

Ravel: Bolero (choreography: Gábor Keveházi)

Reminiscences (choreography: Attila Egerházi)

Cut pictures (choreography: Attila Egerházi)

One Flew over the Cuckoo's Nest (15 November 2002 National Theatre of Pécs)

(choreography: Gábor Keveházi)

The Nutcracker (20 December 2002 National Theatre of Pécs)

(choreography: Attila Egerházi)

Talking Bodies (11 April 2003 National Theatre of Pécs) 

Partitions au Patio (choreography: Myriam Naisy)  

Red with Me (choreography: Jorma Elo)  

Talking Bodies (choreography: Attila Egerházi)

2 Bartók (14 November 2003 National Theatre of Pécs) 

The Wooden Prince (choreography: Gábor Keveházi)

The Miraculous Mandarin (choreography: Attila Egerházi)

European Choreographer’s Evening (23 April 2004 National Theatre of Pécs) 

Listen to this Image (choreography: Neel Verdoorn)  

7 (choreography: Attila Kun)  

One Cue (choreography: Jorma Elo)  

Romeo and Juliet – I Know (25 June 2004) 

Romeo and Juliet (choreography: Gábor Keveházi)

I Know (choreography: Attila Kun)

Hungarian Choreographer’s Evening (19 November 2004 National Theatre of Pécs) 

Etudes (choreography: Gábor Keveházi)

Origo (choreography: Ádám Fejes)

Wandering Dreams (choreography: Sándor Román)

Variations on a Nursery Song (choreography: László Seregi)

Hommage à Imre Eck (11 June 2005 – Open-air Stage of Káptalan Street)

Concerto (choreography: Imre Eck)

Egmont overture (choreography: Imre Eck)

Sacre du printemps (choreography: Imre Eck)

The Hunchback of Notre-Dame (25 November 2005 National Theatre of Pécs)

(choreography: Patrick Jurányi)

Cinderella (24 March 2006 National Theatre of Pécs)

(choreography: Rita Góbi)

Bonnie & Clyde (23 June 2006 – Outdoor Stage in Káptalan Street)

(choreographer: Balázs Vincze)

Bahnhof (9 March 2007 National Theatre of Pécs)
(choreographer: Patrick Jurányi)

European Dance Gallery (22 June 2007 – Ruins of Tettye)

Without a Leg to Stand on... (choreographer: Julian Moss)
I don't Give Up (choreographer: Balázs Vincze)
Para Bango  (choreographer: Raza Hammadi)

 
Spartacus 2076 (23 November 2007 National Theatre of Pécs)

(choreographer: Balázs Vincze)

Bolero-Carmina Burana (20 June 2008 – Ruins of Tettye)