top of page

SLPT DANAJ

The folk song and dance ensemble Danaj was founded in 1959 at the initiative of Vítězslav Volavý to assemble dancers for the 2nd National Spartakiad. From the first enthusiastic rehearsals, Danaj has become an important part of the cultural heritage of Strážnice. The name of the ensemble was inspired by the traditional dance from Strážnice "Danaj".

​

During its history, the ensemble has undergone a number of changes, from operating under the Regional Center of Folk Culture to its transformation into an association in 1990. Key roles were played by personalities such as Jan Loutchan , whose choreography combined with the dulcimer music of Slávko Volavý brought success at festivals.

SLPT Danaj in the park of Stražnice

Today, Danaj consists of approximately 30 members of different generations who preserve and develop folk culture. The ensemble is known not only for its traditional dances, but also for its original choreographies, which have become popular with audiences at home and abroad.

Do you want to come and see us, dance and sing? We have rehearsals in the DDM gym in Strážnice every Friday at 7:00 PM and every Sunday at 10:00 AM. We look forward to seeing you!

Contents

History of the ensemble
Organization of the ensemble in its history
The danaj dance
Choreographers and choreography of the ensemble
Practise and rehearsals

History of the ensemble

Although Strážnice had and still has a rich musical, dancing and singing tradition, establishing a dance group was difficult. There were several attempts to revive interest in folk dance, but the creation of a permanent dance group has not yet been successful. This changed with the arrival of 1959, when the then director of the Regional Centre of Folk Art (KSLU) Vítězslav Volavý was given the task of sending ten dance couples to the II. National Spartakiad in 1960, who would represent the rehearsed dance for the program "Píseň rodné země".​​

The first rehearsal took place in the spring of 1959, when Vitězslav Volavý called together a group of folk dance lovers and introduced them to the instructor for the Spartakiad piece, who informed the group about the progress of the piece's rehearsal. Anna Vajčnerová and Josef Vajčner were elected as the rehearsal leaders, who were also tasked with putting together these ten couples. They succeeded, but there was another requirement, which was that the ensemble had a name. There were already several ensembles in the area that ended in -an, such as Hradišťan, Břeclavan, Prespolan and the like. Slávko Volavý didn't like that, he wanted something unusual, different. So together with the dancers, they thought about an unusual name. Until someone said the word "Danaj" and that was it, the name after the typical couple dance - Danaj.

One of the main instructors for the folklore ensembles during the preparations for the 2nd National Spartakiad was Jan Loutchan, an employee of the Central House of Folk Creativity in Prague. He traveled throughout the country to observe the preparations for the Spartakiad, and also met the newly formed ensemble Danaj for the first time. Thanks to his careful and responsible work, the ensemble Danaj took part in the Regional Spartakiad in Gottwaldov in 1960 and then the 2nd National Spartakiad in Strahov in Prague.

After returning from the Spartakiad, the group began to meet regularly and rehearse other dances. Jindra Kovářů took over the leadership of this young group for a short time, and the boys learned the male carnival dance "Podšable". The first great happiness for the group was the arrival of Jan Loutchan, who accepted the offer to become the group's methodologist and leader of the Danaj group based on the recommendation of Vítězslav Volavý. In August 1960, Jan Loutchan and his wife Larisa came to Strážnice, where they were assigned an apartment in the castle. Jan Loutchan became a key figure in the group, bringing leadership and creative impetus. Under his leadership, the Danaj group ranked among the leading amateur folk song and dance groups. The second great happiness was that the group was accompanied by dulcimer music led by Slávok Volavý from the very beginning. Jan Loutchan's dance bands, which were sensitively formed by the musically talented prima dancer Slávek Volavý, won admiration at all the competitions and performances in which the group participated. And the first band was none other than the unsurpassed Danaj band, which began with the beautiful long song Ja, dolina, dolina, ja danaj...
 

The first news about the establishment of a dance troupe in Strážnice appeared during the Strážnice Festival on July 17, 1960. During the “Treasure” program, six dance couples from the Danaj troupe performed on stage. It was clear that for further development it would be necessary to attract more people interested in working in the troupe. New dancers gradually joined and formed a solid group that, with occasional changes, has stayed together to this day. The development of the Danaj troupe was greatly assisted by the Institute of Folk Art in Strážnice (ÚLU) in the period 1960-1990. It provided the troupe with free rehearsal space in the Knights’ Hall at the castle, also financed the choreography and practice of new dances through external choreographers, and contributed to foreign tours. The ÚLU also purchased costumes for the troupe and took care of their management and maintenance, which was ensured for many years by Mrs. Matyášová. The leadership of the ensemble has changed since its beginnings, with some of the leaders being connected to the position of director of the Institute of Folk Art, while others were elected or brought into the role from other areas. Over the years, the Danaj ensemble has had a rotation of accompanying dulcimer bands that have accompanied it at competitions and festivals. In total, there have been seven different dulcimer bands.

Organization of the ensemble in its history

From 1960 to 1991, the Regional Centre of Folk Culture, later renamed the Institute of Folk Art in Strážnice, was the founder of the Danaj ensemble. The directors of this organisation at that time also became the artistic directors of the ensemble. In the period 1960–1968, this dual role was held by Vítězslav Volavý, who was also the primáš of the cimbalom music.
 

In 1968, Vítězslav Volavý left the band and also resigned from the position of artistic director of the ensemble. Even though he remained the director of the ÚLU, it was necessary to appoint a new artistic director. Miloš Slováček, the primáš of the Strážnice cimbalom band, became this director. At a joint meeting of musicians and dancers on October 5, 1971, Miloš Slováček resigned from the position of artistic director of the ensemble. The main reason was his inability to unite the musicians and dancers into a harmonious whole that would ensure mutual coexistence. He was replaced by František Koštuřík, a member of the cimbalom band, who became the new artistic director of the ensemble. Based on the resolution of the meeting of the municipal authorities, held on December 12, 1972 at the Municipal National Committee in Strážnice, Volavý returned to the band and again took over the position of artistic director of the ensemble.
 

He performed this role until the end of 1982, when he had to leave his job in the Danaj ensemble due to health problems. On April 11, 1982, Slávek Volavý died. After Jan Souček was appointed director of the Institute of Folk Art (ÚLU), he automatically became the artistic director of the Danaj ensemble. His leadership of the ensemble lasted until 1986, when Miloš Říha replaced him as director of the ÚLU and artistic director of the Danaj ensemble. Říha served in this role until 1989. In 1990, the founding obligation was abolished, and with it the function of artistic director.

Since 1993, the Danaj Ensemble has been operating as a legal entity in the form of an association. In the same year, it was also officially registered with the Ministry of the Interior of the Czech Republic.

In addition to the artistic director, the position of organizational director was introduced, which served both the dance and music components of the ensemble. From 1960 to 1964, this position was held by Jiří Marenka, the chief accountant of the Institute of Folk Art, who was also a member of the music as a clarinetist and singer. Then, in 1964, he ended his working relationship with the ÚLU and Miloš Slováček took over the position of organizational director. However, at the end of 1966, he also gave up this position and was replaced by František Hořák, who held this position until 1978, when he decided to leave it. After an intensive search for a new organizational director, Slávek Volavý suggested asking the secretary of the ÚLU, Marie Dočkalovová, to take over this position. With her consent, Marie Dočkalova became the organizational director until 1990, when this position was abolished.
 

In addition to these two common roles, the dance group had its own leader and organizational assistant. The first leader of the dance group was Jindra Kovářů, an employee of the Regional Folk Culture Center, for a short time. In August 1960, after his arrival in Strážnice, Jan Loutchan took over the leadership of the group and successfully led it until the end of September 1966, when he ended his working relationship with the KSLU and thus his role as leader of the Danaj group. Despite this, he remained in contact with the group and worked for it as a photographer. After his departure, Anna Baňařová was put in charge of the group, but after a year she had to end her activities in the Danaj group due to family reasons. From January 1, 1968, Milan Gajda held the position of leader of the group. However, after a number of problems, on October 4, 1968, the group was again without a leader. After long negotiations, František Vajčner became the new leader and Jarmila Vrbová became the organizational assistant, but their work was short-lived. Already on December 17, 1968, František Vajčner refused to continue leading the ensemble.

Eventually, Milan Gajda returned to lead the ensemble. However, at a joint meeting of dancers and musicians on October 5, 1971, Milan Gajda resigned as leader and left the ensemble.

Subsequently, a new leader was sought, and the musicians suggested that Marie Slováčková take over the leadership of the ensemble. She had the best qualifications for this – she was an excellent dancer and teacher at the Folk School of Arts in Strážnice and a good organizer. Marie Slováčková accepted this position on October 5, 1971. According to the entry in the ensemble's chronicle for 1974, the ensemble was led by Marie Slováčková and Milan Gajda.

After an exchange of views between Slávek Volavý and Milan Gajda in Východná on July 9, 1978, Milan Gajda, upon returning to Strážnice, announced that he was ending his activities in the Danaj ensemble. At the same time, Marie Slováčková interrupted her work in the ensemble due to motherhood. After a long negotiation, dancer Ladislav Jagoš was finally persuaded to take over the role of the ensemble leader from September 1978 together with Jiří Tománek. On January 1, 1982, he was replaced in the position by Jan Loutchan, together with Milan Gajda, who, however, left after a year and Jan Loutchan led the ensemble until 1985.
While the search for a new leader was underway in 1986, Tatiana Pálenská and Zdeňka Šafaříková temporarily took over the ensemble's rehearsals. Miloš Hrdý became the ensemble's leader on 7 January 1987. After a trip to Greece, Miloš Hrdý announced at the ensemble's evaluation meeting on 24 August 1990 that he was ending his activities in the Danaj ensemble. He thanked them for their cooperation, said goodbye and left.

After a period of anarchy and legislative confusion, Jiří Tománek registered the ensemble on his trade license and at the same time became its leader. It was not only about the fight for survival without a founder, but also about preserving the costume equipment. After almost a year of negotiations and uncertainty about whether or not to sell the costumes from the Institute of Folk Culture, the Slávko Volavý Foundation was formed on the initiative of Tatiana Pálenská and Jiří Tománek. Court experts evaluated the costumes that had previously been in the possession of the Institute of Folk Culture. In the end, the costumes were acquired, the costs of which were covered by this foundation. Some of the costumes, which were acquired free of charge from the estate of Mrs. Maryna Úlehlová, were taken over by the foundation free of charge, while the rest were financed from the money raised for the foundation. The Slávko Volavý Foundation transferred the costumes to Mrs. Maria Matyášová, who took care of the costumes for many years and kept accurate records of them. This resulted in the acquisition of complete costume equipment. Tatiana Pálenská, Zdeňka Šafaříková and Jana Hanáková took turns helping with organizational matters. Milan Gajda Jr. was also appointed as the organizational leader.

After the celebration of the 35th anniversary of the company's founding, problems arose, culminating in Jiří Tománek's departure from the role of leader. Despite this, he continued to help the company, for example by arranging performances or as a choreographer. But again, the problem arose of who should take his place. Finally, Milan Tománek was persuaded to take over the leadership of the company from May 10, 1995. However, after four months, Milan Tománek decided to leave the company. Jana Hanáková took over temporarily. It took fifteen months before the question of a new leader was finally resolved. Since January 20, 1997, the leader of the Danaj company has been its long-time member Zbyněk Kristoň.
 

After Zbyněk Kristoň, Jiří Kaluža takes over the role of leader and Karol Dohnal becomes the dance leader. After Jiří Kaluža left the role of chairman of the ensemble, Jiří Adamec took over. Now the ensemble is chaired by Jakub Říha and the dance ensemble is led by Barbora Říhová together with Silvián Motičák. This crew represents a new generation of leadership, which takes care of the development of the ensemble with enthusiasm and dedication. They are personalities who are united not only by their love for folk art, but also by the ability to lead and inspire other members of the ensemble to excellent performances on stage.
 

Nowadays, around thirty members are actively involved in the activities of the ensemble, forming a diverse group. Among them, the majority are high school and university students, but the participation of older generations is not an exception. These generations represent a valuable source of experience and wisdom, which they pass on to the younger members of the ensemble. Their presence adds variety and depth to the ensemble, while young blood brings energy and new ideas. This symbiosis between generations contributes to the enrichment of the cultural heritage and the strengthening of the ensemble's community.
 

The dance danaj

One of the unsolved mysteries is the origin of the name danaj for the dance associated with the ensemble. Who and when first uttered this name remains unclear. In other cases, dances are named according to the nature of the dance – such as wiggling or jumping – but why danaj? Today, it is difficult to find a trace of the origin of this word and dance. Nevertheless, this pair dance is inextricably linked to Strážnice and is one of its integral elements.

Milan Mastný, a native of Strážnice and a great fan of folklore, wrote this article about Danaji in Lidové noviny on July 10, 1949:

"Hearing the long danaj spun by Slávko Volavý's violin figures into a dance rhythm, oh, that's when you realize what beauty is. Well yes, believe it or not, it's true. Without the danaj, a chaste couple dance, Strážnice wouldn't be Strážnicí. She wouldn't be many years old, because the danaj reeks of pagan rhythm and ancient Indo-European. They say it was the Celts or God knows who came up with this name."

The danaj dance represents a harmonious symbiosis of music, singing and movement, which carries tradition, elegance and emotional depth. It belongs to the pair spinning dances. Its beginning is distinguished by the prelude of the man, who is the first to step forward in front of the musical accompaniment and sings the first verse of the song. He then calls the dancer to him by clapping his hands, who elegantly approaches and stands on his right side. The man then puts his right arm around her waist, while the dancer places her left arm, bent at the elbow, on the man's right shoulder. Her outer hand is bent towards the body, while the man gestures with his free left hand while singing.

While singing the dance song, the couple transfers their weight smoothly by turning to the right and left or stepping out on the first beat. The dancers hold a one-step or two-step, with the girl moving her right foot forward and the man her left foot back. After the prelude, the dance itself follows, with the man grabbing the girl's right hand with his left hand, with their backs facing up and their thumbs intertwined. The man leading gives signals to the dancer, indicating which direction the dance will take. Three types of holds are used in Strážnice - barrel, cross and half-open, with the outside foot always leading, for both men and women. The dance step from half-toe to toe is the elegance of the movement itself, which evokes the movement of a wave on the surface of the water, and thus connects the movement of the body with the rhythm of the music. In this way, the melody and rhythm are connected with the movement, creating a magical and unbeatable experience.

The original form of the danaj dance was very different from its present form. Before the arrival of Jan Loutchan, the dance was characterized by the so-called “barrel hold” and the step was simpler and more direct, without significant work on the half-toes. The movement was faster and its style resembled the older version of Petrovsky danaj. Dancers, such as old woman Procházková and uncle Jamný, danced with steps in which they placed their foot completely on the ground, with only a slight relief. This style could be called “old-worldly” today. This is exactly how danaj was danced by Jožka Vajčner the Elder.

​

It was Jan Loutchan who brought a more modern form to the dance, which became the basis of its present-day presentation. His modifications were adapted to stage performance, which allowed the dance to stand out with its elegance and dramatic expression.

​

This story shows how tradition can evolve and adapt to the needs of the times without losing its charm and uniqueness. Our currently danced form of danaj thus carries the imprint of the past and the creative energy of those who were responsible for preserving it for future generations.

Choreographers and choreographies of the Danaj ensemble

  • Jan Loutchan: Jihočeská kolečka, Holubička, Vojna, Znorovské lucky, Kopanice („Horenka Chabová“), Vinobraní I. a II. , Chlapecké hry děvčat, Figurální tance ze Strážnice a Mlynářský, Podšable

  • Eliška Rybníčkova: Brod

  • Jindra Kovářů: První danaj, Podšable

  • Cyril Zálěšák: Karičky

  • Zdeněk Šimeček: Kyjov (V ten kyjovském poli)

  • Miloslav Hrdý: Kopanice, Odchody a návraty (Blatnické) a Strání

  • Jan Novenko: Odzemky, Majíčky, Danaje

  • Štěpán Špringšič: Myjava (Širákový)

  • Petr Jelínek: Vzpomínky na stařenku Procházkovou (Danaje)

  • Dagmar Valová: Starodávný z hor - Lašsko

  • Jiří Tománek: Svatba, Svatební obrázky, 45. výročí Danaje, Taneční číslo Smrt, tance z Kopanic, Morena a Vesna Kopanic, Ej vojna,vojna - Kyjovsko, Fašank z Komně, Utancovaný (ustálil se název Babice) tanec z Jižních Čech, Půjdem spolu do Betléma

  • Dana Adamcová: Floriánek

  • Jaroslava Gazárková: Strážnická hraběnka (Horňácko)

  • pan Zálešák: Karičky ,Východoslovenské čardáše

  • Eva Rejšková, asistent Jiří Tománek: Holubička II.

  • Věra Holubová, asistent Jiří Tománek: Bílovské 

  • Jan Kysučan: Moravské Lieskové (55. výročí)

  • Irena Zajíčková: Velické a Lhotácké sedlácké (55. výročí), Lipovské sedlácké (60. výročí)

  • Milan Obrtal: Hriňová (60. výročí)

  • Jiří a Zuzana Adamcovi: 60. výročí Danaje, Rozcvička, Podšable a Straňanské (60. výročí)

  • Barbora Říhová: Moravské Lieskové dívčí zpěvy (55. výročí), pásmo Svatý Urban, Strážnické polky

  • Barbora Říhová a Silvián Motičák: rekonstrukce danaje Slavíček zpívá (55. výročí), Danaj jako Brno, Barbie danaj, večerní pořad na MFF Strážnice Pravidla strážnického provozu, Koně

  • Kolektiv: Klebetnice, Chlapecké hry (55. výročí)

​

Exercises and exams

Having suitable premises is crucial for choreography training. The Danaj ensemble began its training in Býkárna, which was a hall on Za valy Street. Later, rehearsals moved to the former casino and then to the premises of the Folk School of Arts on B. Hrejsová Street. Thanks to the support of the castle, the ensemble was able to use the castle premises, specifically the Knight's Hall or the Green and Pink Salon. These places not only provided beautiful spaces, but also ensured a pleasant atmosphere, especially thanks to the journey home through the park, which was accompanied by songs. The ensemble also trained in the city museum, which at that time functioned as the Folk School of Arts, in a small hall on the 1st floor. Later, they had the opportunity to train in the gymnasium of the grammar school, where rehearsals took place especially in the 1980s. From the 1990s to the present, the ensemble has been rehearsing in the gymnasium of the Children and Youth Center in Strážnice.

Would you like to come and see us? We still have rehearsals in the DDM gym in Strážnice every Friday at 7:00 PM and every Sunday at 10:00 AM. We look forward to seeing you!

Major tours and events of the ensemble

During its existence, the Danaj ensemble has performed more than three thousand performances both abroad and in the Czech Republic. Every time it went abroad, the ensemble did not forget the ritual of baptizing newcomers. Dancers, musicians, and other team members who were going abroad with the ensemble for the first time were ceremonially thrown over a foreign barrier. Even though some customs officers did not like this ceremony during the totalitarian era, the tradition continued. However, if this was not possible, they stopped a few kilometers beyond the border and someone present replaced the barrier with their own body. The first record of this event in the ensemble's chronicle dates back to 1971, when the ensemble set off on a tour to Hungary. The newcomers then had to buy themselves a bottle of wine or slivovitz, thus officially joining the ensemble and its traditions.
 

The ensemble took part in its first foreign tour, excluding Slovakia, on June 21, 1962 in Senftenbach, Austria. It performed for local citizens. The Danaj ensemble recorded its most distant performances at festivals in South Korea and China.

The ensemble took part in the largest International Folklore Festival in Moscow, which took place in August 1988. This festival represented an impressive gathering of 130 folklore groups from 22 countries around the world, with a total of about 3,000 performers, the oldest of whom was 103 years old. The Danaj ensemble most often performed in Greece during foreign tours, where it made its debut for the first time on April 3, 1967 in Athens. The Danaj ensemble then represented Strážnice and the Czech Republic at festivals in Belgium, Sardinia, Romania, Egypt, Syria, Poland, Italy, Hungary, England, Bulgaria, Libya, Finland, Germany, Ireland, Lithuania, Croatia, Sicily, Malta, Montenegro, Slovakia.
 

The Danaj ensemble participated not only in foreign tours, but also in many folklore festivals throughout the Czech Republic. Each of these tours, whether domestic or international, had its own unique charm and benefit for the members of the ensemble. Each member perceived any tour individually, therefore it is not possible to clearly determine which tour was the most interesting or the best, because each of them brought new experiences, knowledge and memories.
Every destination, every festival, and every outing had its own unique charm and contributed to enriching the cultural heritage of the Danaj ensemble.
 

Note: the texts on this page are largely taken from the bachelor's thesis of the current member of the Danaj ensemble, Petra Kovaříková, with her express consent. KOVAŘÍKOVÁ Petra. The Folk Songs and Dances Ensemble Danaj and its Musical Component. Online. Bachelor's thesis. Brno: Masaryk University, Faculty of Education. 2024. Available from: https://is.muni.cz/th/vkyen/

DS Danájek

Dětský taneční soubor Danájek vznikl v roce 1967 jako tehdejší taneční oddělení Lidové školy umění ve Strážnici pod vedením pana Jana Loutchana. Po jeho krátkém působení převzala v roce 1969 vedení paní učitelka Marie Slováčková a po jejím odchodu do důchodu se vedoucí tanečního oddělení stala její dcera Jana Hanáková. V roce 2011 opustil Danájek ZUŠ a začal pod vedením paní učitelky Hanákové pracovat samostatně.

V současné době jej navštěvuje zhruba 110 dětí ve věku od 3 do 15 let, kdy děti volně přechází do dalších strážnických souborů, předně do souboru Danaj. S výukou paní Hanákové pomáhají paní učitelky Zlámalová, Šišáková a Klepáčová. Danájek spolupracuje s různými cimbálovými muzikami. Nejstarší oddělení doprovází CM Vojšica s primášem Ondřejem Gajdou pod vedením pana Dušana Okénky.
Repertoár Danájku se skládá z písní a tanců ze Strážnice a blízkého okolí. Naše děti se pravidelně zúčastňují pěveckých soutěží, vystupují na různých festivalech a největší odměnou za celoroční práci je účast na MFF ve Strážnici. Účasti na tomto festivalu si velmi vážíme a jsme na ni právem hrdí.

Dětský taneční soubor Danájek je neodmyslitelnou součástí strážnického folkloru a pevným mostem mezi generacemi. Díky jeho práci přirozeně vyrůstají mladí folkloristé, kteří posilují tradici a pokračují do dospělých strážnických souborů. Danájek tak svou činností nejen uchovává lidové tance a písně, ale také propojuje rodiny, děti i dospělé, čímž vytváří jedinečné prostředí soudržnosti a hrdosti na naše kulturní dědictví.

bottom of page