The key reference point of the Hungarian State Folk Ensemble’s new show is Zoltán Kodály’s life works. Just like in the Ensemble’s previous productions, tradition is brought to stage with extreme vitality, in symbiosis with contemporary artistic expressions. 
The musical framework of the story, which evolves from the small events of an imaginary community, is provided by the compositions of Kodály (and his contem-poraries: Béla Bartók, László Lajtha) and by the folksongs collected by the composer. Throughout the scenes, we follow the evolution of hu¬man relationships and the loss thereof, joys and grieves and the rituals of everyday life and festivities. 
In Dance Canon, we can hear parts of well-known Kodály works, such as Háry János, Mátra Pictures, Kálló Double Dance, Psalmus Hungaricus and the Evening song. A richly nuanced, lyrical-associative imagery, a spectrum of playful changes in time and space lead the audience to the final scene: the cathartic enunciation of the triumph of human existence, of life itself.

Music: László Kelemen, Eszter Pál, István Pál ”Szalonna”, Lajos Pál
Choreographers: Dezső Fitos, Enikő Kocsis, Gábor Mihályi, Calin Orza
Director-Choreographer: Gábor Mihályi

The show is a joint production of the Hungarian Heritage House, the Hungarian State Folk Ensemble, the Budapest Spring Festival and the National Dance Theatre.