PRAGUE VINTAGE DANCE WEEK
July 13 - 20, 2024
Dear dancing friends,
Again in 2024, you are cordially invited to our International Vintage Dance Week. For more than 30 years, we have been organizing dance courses.
Join us for a week of historic dance and time-travel back to the exquisite ballrooms of another era. Our teaching roster includes Dancing Master Mr. Richard Powers (USA) and Mr. Arnaud Degioanni, the President of Carnet de Bals (France), with additional classes by dance teacher Piotr Skawski from the dance department of University of Warsaw in Poland, and ourselves, Jitka and Jan from Prague.
The program includes dance classes, sightseeing of Prague, evening cultural programs and two balls with great live orchestras! Dance classes will be on a wooden floor. We hope that the program for the 2024 course will meet with your full approval and will entice you to join us in July 2024. We very much look forward to meeting you.
Yours,
Jitka Bonušová and Jan Pumpr
Are you interested in joining us for evening balls only? Click for more information.
Program draft
Saturday, July 13
You will have made it to the hotel from the airport or train station on your own; in either case it is very simple either by cab or public transportation. A month before arrival you will receive detailed information about the airport – hotel transfer. After you arrive at the hotel, you will check in and perhaps have time to relax a bit. In the late afternoon we will meet in the hotel lounge for the registration, greet old friends, meet new people, and hand out additional information you need for the dance week, including a booklet with details for each day’s activities and a map of the city. After this, we will walk to a nearby restaurant for our first dinner together.
Sunday, July 14
On our first full day. In the morning we will start with three dance classes. The dance hall is in walking distance from all three hotels. For lunch we will stay together, this meal is included in the dance week price. One more dance class in the afternoon and then you can join us for sightseeing in Old Town. For a dinner you will be on your own, there are many restaurants nearby or a grocery store as well.
Monday, July 15
Today we will have three dance classes in the morning. For lunchtime you will be on your own. After Afternoon class you will have some time to relax and get ready for our first ball. The ball program will be prepared by Arnaud Degioanni and will bring us to the era of the Second Empire in France (1852–70). Dinner will be together and then the ball.
Tuesday, July 16
Three dance classes in the morning again. Lunchtime will be on your own, and then one more dance class. Later in the afternoon, you may choose what to do. You can join us for a little walk through Prague Castle, or come directly to the evening’s meeting point. We will all have dinner together and then we will enjoy a concert of Czech music by a string quartet.
Wednesday, July 17
It is Wednesday already! We will have three dance classes in the morning, lunch on your own and one afternoon class as well. Some time to relax and get ready for our Jazz and Swing ball, , led by Richard Powers. The ball will be in a beautiful dance hall with a wooden floor and – live music! Transportation to the ball and back will be provided by Dvorana.
Want a taste of the band’s music? Play the audio sample. Here is a video of the amazing vintage dance band.
Thursday, July 18
We will again have three dance classes in the morning. Lunch time will be on your own, then an afternoon class. Are you interested in seeing Prague as locals do? In the summer, Prague is full of tourists especially in the Old Town. But we will show you how get from Charles Bridge to the Old Town Square without any crowd. In the evening, we will have a meeting at the Old Town Square, and will walk to the riverside. Then we will relax during a dinner cruise on the Vltava River.
Friday, July 19
Our last day. Three dance classes in the morning, and lunchtime on your own. Your afternoon will be free, so you can relax and get ready for the closing ball. First we will all have a wonderful dinner together, and then the ball will start. As in our past years, we will have live full orchestra playing for us. what clothes for this ball? We will dance in the period 1865 – 1880. If you want to save the weight of your luggage, you can use the same dress for both historical balls. Transportation to the ball and back will be provided by Dvorana.
Saturday, July 20
How the time has flown, and it is now time to say goodbye, and return to our regular lives. But we hope you will take back many memories to share and treasure from your time in the Czech Republic. We also hope you will stay in touch, and that, perhaps, we will dance together again.
Click HERE to open the pdf file with dance lessons schedule.
Teachers
Richard Powers
Richard Powers is a dance historian and instructor at Stanford University. Richard’s focus since 1975 has been the research and reconstruction of nineteenth and early twentieth century American and European social dance forms, working from a personal collection of 2,500 historic dance manuals. Founder of the Flying Cloud Academy of Dance in Cincinnati, and director of the first Vintage Dance Weeks, Richard has also choreographed dozens of stage productions, operas and films. Richard has taught historic dance workshops in Paris, Rome, Prague, London, Vienna, Venice, Geneva, Edinburgh, Moscow, St. Petersburg, Kirov, Tokyo and Kyoto, as well as across the United States and Canada.
Classes in English.
Arnaud Degioanni
Arnaud is vice president of the French Federation of Dance, the historical dance coordinator in France and president of the parisian historical dance association „Carnet de Bals“. Arnaud Degioanni is an expert of historical dance in France. He is an avid researcher and reconstructor of 19th century dances, his work having led him to study the typical Parisian dance repertory from the past centuries. Arnaud is the creator of the French Historical Dance Championship and of the International Open of Historical Dance in Paris. He is also an organizer and dance master of renowned Balls, reconstructed according to the great tradition of Imperial balls in France.
Classes in French and English.
Piotr Skawski
Choreographer and dance instructor, working with many different dance groups in Poland since 1995. Organized many dance festivals and workshops. Former dancer of Warszawianka and other dance groups. At this time he is one of main dance instructors of Folk Song and Dance Ensemble of University of Warsaw „Warszawianka“. Piotr has taught in Prague in 1999, 2002, 2004 and 2006. We are happy to have him back in Prague agian.
Classes in English.
Jitka Bonušová a Jan Pumpr
The dance school Dvorana was founded in the early nineties by Professor František Bonuš and his son, Jasan Bonuš, and in 1996 they organized their first Vintage Dance Week Prague/Paris. After František and Jasan passed away, Jitka and Jan continued running the organization and have organized many international dance workshops and weeks.
They both focus on Czech social dances of the 19th century and have choreographed several dances for workshops and for the stage; both also lead separate performing groups. They have taught dances at Dvorana´s workshops in the Czech Republic, Germany, France, Japan and the United States.
Classes in English.
Directions
For those of you arriving at the Prague airport, we recommend Uber (official taxi service). You will find it just in front of the arrival terminal. We recommend that you not use any other companies. You should not pay more than CZK 800 ($38 or €32) price for a group 1-3 people. More details are here.
If you would prefer to use public transport, take a bus no. 119 to the final stop at Nádraží Veleslavín. Here you will have to change to the Metro underground line A (green line) and alight at the station Náměstí Míru. From this station it is just a short walk to the hotel. You can buy your ticket at the Municipal Transport (MHD) desk in the airport arrival hall. On boarding the bus you have to validate your ticket in the machine inside the vehicle. You will need just one standard ticket costing 40 CZK for the whole journey from the airport to the hotel.
Here in this video you can see a great explanation in English.
Should you need help, just ask a passer-by in the street. Young people in particular speak English and are happy to help.
A month prior to the start of the dance week all participants will receive a letter with further details, including the mobile phone number to call in case of unexpected incidents during your travel to Prague.
Accommodation
This year we offer accommodation in three different hotels. All of them are in walking distance of the dance hall. Please, click here for the map, read hotel’s details and decide where you want to stay. Choose this hotel at the registration form.
HOTEL GALILEO
The hotel is located little deeper in the neighbourhood. The hotel offers a high standard. It is close to the dance hall, a little further from the pickup point and from the public transportation. All rooms are equipped with free high speed Internet/WiFi, air-conditioning, TV, SAT, telephone, hairdryer, refrigerator and safe.
HOTEL ALTON
The hotel is located near the city centre, just a few minutes walk from Wenceslas Square. We have been using this hotel for our visitors for many years. In front of the hotel are both metro and tram stops, with easy connections to central Prague as well as the airport and outlying areas. Also all group bus transfers will depart from here. All rooms are equipped with free high speed Internet/WiFi, air-conditioning, TV, SAT, telephone, hairdryer, refrigerator and safe.
Single and double rooms are sold out already. But if you are looking for a double room, we offer triple rooms used by two people. In fact it means, that you will stay in a double room with three beds. In this case you pay the price per person in a double room + $150 per person for that larger room. This extra charge is paid just once per person and whole stay.
HOTEL LUNÍK
Hotel Luník is a traditional family hotel which offers pleasant accommodation in the beautiful area of the Královské Vinohrady in Prague, only a few minutes by foot from Václavské Náměstí and the historic center of the city. All rooms are equipped with free high speed Internet/WiFi, TV, SAT, telephone, hairdryer, refrigerator and safe. This hotel doesn’t offer air-conditioning.
Single rooms are sold out already. But we offer double rooms used by one person. In fact it means, that you will stay in a double room by your self only. In this case you pay the price per person in a single room + $150 for that larger room. This extra charge is paid just once per person and whole stay.
Meals
Breakfast and one warm meal a day are included in the price. Usually it is dinner, occasionally lunch. Beverages are not included. Vegetarian meals can be arranged on request (see the registration form).
Dress (clothing and shoes)
ATTENTION: No street shoes are allowed on the dance floors. Everyone is required to change shoes prior to entering the dance hall. The dance hall has wooden floor, and we must be careful to protect it from damage.
No special clothing is required for the dance classes. We recommend that you wear comfortable clothing that does not restrict movement. During the dance week, we will have two 19th century balls and one swing ball (around 1920 – 1940). Please, bring your costumes to help us make the unique atmosphere of each evening. Thank you.
For these of you who don’t own costumes, we will help arrange a costume rental for you. The Barrandov Film Studio Costume Department is one of the largest in Europe, and offers many beautiful costumes. Click here for their website. Because we will have two balls during the week, the rental covering both evenings will be about $170. If you are interested in this service, contact us on our e-mail and we will send you more details.
Prices - all inclusive
Price for one person in double room: $1570 / €1490
Price for one person in single room: $1930 / €1825
The price includes:
- Accommodations in 3 or 4 star hotel
- Buffet breakfasts and one warm meal each day
- All dance classes
- An English-speaking guide during the entire dance week
- Evening cultural programs
- Guided tour of Prague
- Two evenings with live music (orschestras)
Are you enrolled student?
Contact us for a special deal (dvorana@dvorana.cz.)
The price does not include:
- Transportation to and from the Czech Republic
- Individual transfer from and to the airport
- Beverages at meals
(fresh water is available at all meals at no charge)
Registration and payment
Please register no later than May 30, 2024. Inquiries after that date should be made by e-mail at dvorana@dvorana.cz to see if accommodation space is still available.
A deposit of $500 / €500 per person, made payable to JITKA BONUŠOVÁ, is requested upon registration. If you must cancel, the policy is that prior to May 30, your entire deposit will be refunded, less a $50 processing charge. After May 30, deposits will not be refunded. The balance is payable after your arrival during registration in Prague. Confirmation and further details will be sent upon registration.
- Check:
This is the most direct way of paying your deposit, and it has been used by most participants in the past.
Please make the check out to: Jitka Bonušová, Generála Janouška 889/36, 19800 Praha 9, Czech Republic
- Wire Transfer to the Dvorana’s bank:
Bank Account Holder: Jitka Bonušová
Bank Account Number: 1411610297/0100
Bank Name: Komerční banka a.s., Praha 9 Branch, Bryksova 759/60, 198 00 Praha-Černý Most
SWIFT Code: (for international deposits only) KOMBCZPP
IBAN: CZ2301000000001411610297 - We have a new account to accept payments in EUR
Bank Account Holder: Jitka Bonušová
Bank Account Number: 131-2273710277/0100
Bank Name: Komerční banka a.s., Praha 9 Branch, Bryksova 759/60, 198 00 Praha-Černý Most
SWIFT Code: (for international deposits only) KOMBCZPPXXX
IBAN: CZ6701000001312273710277
If you prefer to do an electronic transfer, you can transfer the amount from your bank to Dvorana’s bank. In this option, we ask you to cover those additional fees. For overseas dancers the cost could be high.
contact:
Dvorana
Generála Janouška 36
198 00 Praha 9
Phone: +420 – 608 889 304
E-mail: dvorana@dvorana.cz