The first modern Hungarian ballet company was founded by Imre Eck in 1960 from the dance department of the National Theatre of Pécs. The art of modern dance inspired by the founder laid the foundations for modern ballet dance in Hungary. The directors of the company were Sándor Tóth from 1969, Isvtán Herczog from 1992, Gábor Keveházi and Attila Egerházi from 2001, and Balázs Vincze has been the director since 2005.

Pivotal achievements under the leadership of Balázs Vince include creating a professionally acclaimed ballet company, retaining and expanding their dance loving audience, and becoming independent of the National Theatre of Pécs. After 11 years of struggle, the independent ballet company was established. In January 2017, Pécs County Seat founded the professionally and economically independent Pécs Ballet Non-profit Limited Liability Company and appointed Balázs Vince director.

Therefore, since 2017 Pécs Ballet has been operating as an independent cultural organisation drawing on the greatest traditions of modern dance. The Company has become indisputably one of the most renowned and leading professional dance companies in Hungary. Prestigious domestic and international guest performances, and the continued interest of the audience all point to the quality work the Company has been doing. The unique and distinct dance language of the company draws on a wide range of traditions. The artistic unity achieved in their successful dance theatre is the result of integrating dancing with innovative visual and dramaturgical devices. The strong, closely-knit, and highly professional company has staged many significant performances.

Since 2017, the seat of Pécs Ballet has been in Zsolnay Cultural Quarter – a venue that represents the goals and ideals of Pécs 2010 European Cultural Capital (ECC) Programme. It has a symbolic significance that the two easily exportable brands of Pécs – ‘Zsolnay’ and ‘Pécs Ballet’ – have become intertwined. Since Pécs Ballet was a European Cultural Capital Ambassador, it is only fitting that the company has become the resident ballet company of Zsolnay Cultural Quarter – the venue of the largest ECC investment.

Since 1 October 2017, Teodóra Uhrik, one of the founding members of the company has been the managing director of Pécs Ballet. Her name is inextricably intertwined with Pécs Ballet, since as a founding member, she has been working for the first Hungarian modern dance company for six decades. First, a leading ballet dancer, then a dance teacher, she is currently fulfilling a well-deserved role within the company as managing director. Balázs Vincze is taking care of operational matters as art director. Although they both seek to continue the direction they started at the new millennium, being an independent dance company, they also wish to strengthen their Hungarian and international renown as a major cultural export brand of Pécs. As an independent dance company, it can spread the good reputation of Pécs in the world via the universal language of dancing, thus fulfilling its ECC mission.

Pécs Ballet, established in 1960 as a department of the National Theatre of Pécs, was the first modern dance company in Hungary. The founder, Imre Eck’s modern approach to ballet resulted in a paradigm shift in dancing, which paved the way for the development of modern dance in Hungary. The success of the dance company drawing on Eck’s new approach served as inspiration for Győr Ballet, established 20 years later, then for Szeged Contemporary Dance Company, and for many other bigger and smaller modern and contemporary dance groups.

The domestic and international performances of Pécs Ballet and the role it has played for decades in Hungarian dance culture do not only represent but also shape our national and cultural identity.  The dance artists, choreographers, composers, set- and costume designers seek to create an artistic experience that presents the most important and most salient features of Hungarian and Central-European dance culture when staging a dance performance. The choreographies have frequently been based on the music of significant Hungarian composers. Their form of expression draws on classical ballet using modern dance techniques – suitable for addressing contemporary audiences.

The professional and public recognition of artists and creative people involved with the company demonstrates the continued high-quality work of Pécs Ballet.

The professional and public recognition of the company’s artistic work compares to the critical and social acclaim of the Company in the Eck-era.

Due to the high-quality work of the company, they have been invited as guest performers to several prestigious Hungarian and international events. In 2001, Pécs Ballet received Pro Communitate Award from Pécs County Seat, the title Ambassador of Pécs 2010 European Cultural Capital Programme in 2008, and County Prima Award from the National Association of Entrepreneurs and Employers in 2009. More recently, the following prestigious professional awards and state prizes have been awarded to current members of Pécs Ballet.

2019

2018

2017

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2012

2011

2010

2009 Association of Hungarian Dance Artists –Award for Dance Teaching and Dance Science: Márta Rónay, founding member