Univerzita Mateja Bela v Banskej Bystrici


Folk dance school for youngsters with UMB

In addition to educational summer stays tailored to Slovak youngsters from abroad, the UMB Methodological Center for Slovaks living abroad also specializes in implementing the traditional culture into the education of children – the activity which is certainly related to the staffing of this center.

One of the projects, the 6th year of which is being prepared in the summer of 2020, is the Summer school of traditional culture for children of the women born in Banská Bystrica, who come back to their hometown from different countries during summer days. This project, which works with children from the age of two or three, and the rich practice from a children's folklore ensemble of the professional guarantor PhDr. Zuzana Drugová, together became the basis for creating its online version.

Folk dance school for beginners from abroad can be found on the UMB web site; it comprises not only theoretical parts but also practical previews in the form of short video clips and, nevertheless, wide range of supplementary online material. For the participants from Slovakia, who are used to certain system of work in folk ensembles, we need to emphasize that the didactical material originated from the interest of the foreigners who are complete beginners and they are not only children members of folk or interests groups, but also their leaders who often times do not have their own experience from the folk group. Their life abroad, however, brought them to the increased interest in their roots and so they consider the folk dance the appropriate means to remind their children of them.

The availability of basic materials for beginners from abroad during coronacrisis received an increased interest from their recipients and the positive appraisal. The school for youngsters is already spreading to the Slovak foreign world.

Folk dance school for youngsters with UMBFolk dance school for youngsters with UMBFolk dance school for youngsters with UMB

Matej Bel University in Banská Bystrica