43rd National Táncház Festival & Fair • 5–7 April 2024
Issue:
Starting page: 3
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Interview with Novák Ferenc Tata – born: 1931 in the Transylvanian town of Nagyenyed/Aiud (today in Romania) – upon celebrating his 85th birthday. Tata talks about his family, the significance of his childhood growing up in Transylvania speaking and learning multiple languages, the path of his life and career and what he’s doing now. For 36 years Novák was artistic director of the Honvéd Ensemble (now called the Magyar  Nemzeti Táncegyüttes – Hungarian National Dance Ensemble). He is also well-known for his work with the Bihari Ensemble and Schoolfor the Arts, as director and choreographer of large-scale theatrical and dance events – and as an active, outspoken, wide-thinking creative force. Just one of the thoughts expressed in this interview, in answer to whether or not those overseeing public funding today want a say in the creator’s work: “ ...present Hungarian politics have set an ideology which is a bit too wound up with national identity...” By Grozdits Károly.