“Solo in front of the House” − Present-Day Dance Expressions at Kermesses in the Brno Region

The kermesse (hody in Czech), also known in various parts of the Czech Republic as the patronal feast day, patronal festival, kirmes or krmash, is a traditional village feast. It is historically linked to the anniversary of the church consecration, the day of the patron saint to whom the church is dedicated, or to the end of the agricultural year. It is a typical expression of ethno-cultural tradition, as understood by contemporary ethnology, (Toncrová 2007, 14) a set of customs and habits associated with a number of elements of tangible and intangible traditional folk culture (songs, dances, folk costumes, food, etc.) (Brouček, Jeřábek eds. 2007, 781). Due to its intricate nature, the kermesse features considerable regional and local variability and diversity. The kermesse has received considerable attention to date, with numerous comprehensive works, scientific studies, diploma theses, and regional monographs examining its socio-cultural aspects, regional specificities, and historical context.¹

This study focuses on present-day dance expressions at kermesse festivals in the Brno region, with an emphasis on the context of dance in public spaces. The objective of this study is to briefly characterize the nature of dance expressions within the ethno-cultural tradition and to delineate the fundamental functions and meanings of (folk) dance in contemporary society, using the example of the kermesse tradition in the Brno region.² The study is based on qualitative research, employing participant observation and semi-structured interviews as the primary method of data collection from the field. Observations were conducted in seven locations in Brno and its surroundings, selected to encompass a range of kermesse types and held both in the territory of the city of Brno, and in neighbouring villages.³ Furthermore, the researcher's personal connections with gatekeepers, actors of kermesses in individual localities, played a significant role in the final selection. These gatekeepers introduced the researcher to the field and either facilitated contact with suitable respondents or gave interviews themselves. In all the locations, the researcher was visiting the kermesse for the first time; her entry position into the field differed solely based on the degree of association with the gatekeepers. Two respondents were then selected from among the actors of the kermesse in each location. They were current and former members of the village youth organization, also known as a chasa,⁴ who were assumed to have a personal relationship with the kermesse tradition in the locality and to have knowledge of the practical and organizational background of the event.⁵

The roots of kermesse rituals in the Czech lands date back at least to the Middle Ages, and the kermesse is still an important annual feast in many localities (Toncrová 2008, 37). The respondents from Brno and its surrounding areas indicated that this is a highly significant cultural and social event within their localities, regardless of whether they reside in a city district or a separate municipality belonging to the Brno agglomeration. They often mention kermesse as the only or the greatest local cultural event, or as an event with the greatest impact on the local population. A significant proportion of the individuals involved in the kermesse also attach great personal significance to the event, perceiving it as an important point in “their personal annual cycle”. The respondents cite the kermesse (both local and non-local) (Toncrová 2008, 37) as one of their main dance occasions, although not the only one. Other dance occasions that they mention are kermesse rehearsals held in advance of the kermesse, training sessions and performances by members of folklore ensembles, balls, festivals, dance parties with cimbalom music, as well as concerts, discos, and weddings.

The kermesse can be understood as a specific dance event that combines elements of traditional folk culture, including folk dress, music, dance, singing, the principles of traditional folk entertainment, as well as the perception of social roles. Concurrently, it incorporates or responds to a number of modern, present-day aspects, thereby creating a syncretic whole of contemporary kermesse. Modern influences are more conspicuous in the environment of a big city than in rural or traditional ethnographic regions. The main research question was to primarily ascertain the characteristics of present-day kermesses in the Brno region, the types of dances performed, and the extent to which the dance and music repertoires are influenced by urban or mass culture. As for the respondents, the primary objective was to ascertain what the kermesse means for them, whether they consider it an important and specific dance occasion, what weight they attach to the dance component, and what functions those dance expressions fulfil for them. The study primarily focuses on the functions of dance within the context of the kermesse festival: it sees kermesse as a specific environment of dance, a specific dancescape. It is first necessary to briefly characterize this dance occasion and the dance expressions with respect to the basic issues of dance anthropology, as summarized by Daniela Stavělová (Stavělová 2003).