43rd National Táncház Festival & Fair • 5–7 April 2024
Issue:
Starting page: 33
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Jakab Péter finished the Hungarian Ballet Institute’s training for professional folk dancers in 1983. Most of that graduating class went to the Honvéd Ensemble to dance because they wanted to work with Novák. Declining Novák’s invitations to dance in the Honvéd, Jakab Péter went instead to the Hungarian State Folk Dance Ensemble where he danced for 4 years. But when Jakab decided he wanted to go to Amsterdam to dance in the professional international folk ensemble there under Ferdinand van Altena, Novák was the one who helped him get there. Jakab Péter danced there until 1997 and still lives there today. From time to time he returns to Hungary to do choreography, also working with the Honvéd. Novák worked with the dance group in Amsterdam often "…he was very well liked there…you had to get used to Tata, when he didn’t like something he would tell you, but those who put their heart and soul into the work - Tata would thank them in his own way…I wish him strength and good health and that he’ll continue to enjoy life just as he always has, without leaving anything out!"