Czech and Slovak Folk dance Group, London

The Beskydy Dancers take their name from the Beskydy Mountains, which link Slovakia with the Czech regions of Moravia and Bohemia.  Our group have been learning and performing dances from these regions since 1952.  2012 will mark our 60th anniversary! Our aim is to preserve and promote the vibrant folk dance and musical traditions of the Czech and Slovak Republics- which we do with great pride and energy.

We perform in authentic costumes, often accompanied by musicians from the ‘Beskydy’ band.  We dance waltzes and polkas from Bohemia - both gentle and boisterous; swashbuckling recruiting dances from Moravia; the famous Čardáš from Slovakia - exhilarating and fast. Many of our dances combine with mime and song to tell a story; the village fair, the craft dance of the cobbler and the blacksmith, and the barmaid's skirt weighing all of 8 lbs.  A lyrical courting dance contrasts with a humourous hat dance, and in the outlaw's dance, skillfully brandished axes tell of a turbulent past.

Beskydy, 1980’s

So, who are we?  Our group consists mainly of British people, some of whom have roots in the Czech and Slovak Republics, or have lived and worked there.  Many of us have visited the region, and have been inspired by live folklore: the music, the dancing and the Folk Festival atmosphere.  We have a few native Czech members, one of whom is our group leader, Hedy (read our Myspace blog for a detailed history of The Beskydy Dancers, and an interesting account of Hedy’s wartime experiences).  We are very much a family, with a common love of Czech/Slovak culture and dance.

Beskydy, 1984

We look forward to adding a timeline to this page to elaborate on our history, in particular, our tours and collaborations with folklore groups in the former Czechoslovakia.

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