Kalamajka
Hungarian folk dance in 2/4 time, often with singing.
What it means
The kalamajka is a Hungarian folk dance in 2/4 time, often accompanied by singing. It is marked by a lively, rousing rhythm and is usually danced in couples with simple, repeating step patterns.
Musical use
The kalamajka is closely related to the csárdás and belongs to the rich dance tradition of Hungary and neighbouring regions. Through folk-dance groups and folk-music ensembles it spread in the 19th and 20th centuries beyond Hungary too and was adopted in several Central European countries as a sociable group dance, often with a simple, easily learned step pattern.
The kalamajka should be distinguished from the csárdás, which is divided into a slow and a fast part and comprises a larger dance repertoire, and from other Central European round dances with a similar basic scheme that differ in origin and melody.
Performance practice
Play or sing the kalamajka with a clear, energetic pulse in two beats per bar. If you dance it, watch the even basic step and the palpable joy of repetition that makes up the dance's sociable character.