Girls dance away winter

Yesterday was Szulok's Svab ball, the last ball of the carnival season now that Lent is soon upon us. I described the Swabian ethnic group in a recent post, and today I have video of the girls dancing to demonstrate the feel of the dance, which is very fast and involves very sharp turns. Even the word turn is too round to convey the sudden changes in position.

Below, you see the boys and girls preparing for the stage. The red dresses are all hand-sewn. 

 

Our girls attended the school's Farsang party, immediately before we rushed them home to a babysitter and ran off to the Women's Day celebration. They dressed up in lovely dresses we borrowed from one of the town clothiers. For many Halloweens, our girls were princesses. Not this time. This time, Sophie was Rose from Eight Cousins, Maisie was a fairy, and Amelia was a lady. With a mask from Venice.

Viktor interviewed all of the children. I was very excited to see my children respond to a Hungarian interview before a room full of people. What are you? Lady, she said. (Hölgy.) Are you a princess, he asked. Nem, she said. Are you a queen? Nem. Are you a lady from Venice? Nem. Viktor asked half a dozen questions, all in Hungarian, all of which were answered the sane way. Nem, she said. Amelia is defending herself right now, in English: But I was just an old-fashioned lady!

And Maisie, who are you? Ki vagy? A fairy. Tündér. Viktor asked her if she was going to bring in the Spring, and none of us heard her. She said she said yes, though.

Zoé was a butterfly, egy pillangó. All the girls, I think, were fairies, princesses, butterflies -- the sweet things -- and all the boys were killers: ninjas, soldiers, knights, stormtroopers. Where's the battle, Viktor asked one. Here, the soldier said. Is this a war in the past, or in the future? Yes, the boy said. You will note the boy in a boy tie and jacket above, because he has neither blaster nor rifle nor sword. Who are you, Viktor asked. Kém, the boy said. Gábor leaned over and said, He's a spy.

Sophie's class, meanwhile, provided a skit and dance with doctors, royalty, and two sick snowmen, I think.

February was a hard month for many of our friends here, and we have heard repeated stories about financial tenuousness and insecurity. But the community still comes together for the children with great joy and energetic pomp. The children live in hope and love and delight.