Mónika Szalai

I was born on April 24, 1973, in Subotica, in the Vojvodina region.

In the summer of 1989, I discovered Hungarian folk music and dance at a local folk arts camp. It was love at first sight—and sound—a passion that has stayed with me ever since. I immediately joined the local folk dance group.

In 1994, I completed a basic folk dance instructor course in Szeged. From then on, I taught at numerous dance ensembles across Vojvodina. I consider myself fortunate as a member of the Hungarian minority abroad to have learned from some of the most outstanding folk dance teachers and choreographers from Hungary through various trainings and workshops.

In 2000, due to a change in my job, I had to step back from traveling for performances and teaching, and with a heavy heart, I ended both. Still, Hungarian folk music remained an essential part of my daily life.

In 2006, my son was born, and from the very beginning, I tried to introduce him to Hungarian children’s games and folk songs. Secretly, I hoped he would become a folk dancer, but early on he decided he wanted to learn folk double bass instead. Unfortunately, it wasn’t until 2016 that a folk music school opened in Subotica, allowing him to start learning.

A few years later, my nephew also joined the school to study folk viola, encouraged by me.

In 2022, we decided that to support their development, they should attend folk music courses and camps in Hungary. That’s how we arrived at the Méta course in Balatonboglár. During those three days, I was able to relive the feeling of the folk dance houses and big parties of my youth.

It was there I decided I wanted to be part of this wonderful world again. Together with my children, I enrolled in that year’s Métatábor, where luckily there was beginner-level folk viola instruction for the first time.

Since then, I have participated in every Méta course and Métatábor. I have reconnected with the musician role models of my youth and made wonderful friends.

Being part of the magic of the Métatábor is an incredible feeling—and now, not only as a participant but also as an organizer!

I am deeply grateful to Beja and Kinga for trusting me after such a short acquaintance and allowing me to join the organizing team of the upcoming XXXIV Métatábor in 2025.

It is a great honor for me!