GERMANY-DANCE FESTIVAL Folk dance fans bop to Bavarian beats at Kocherlball festival

Record ID: 146520

  • Title: GERMANY-DANCE FESTIVAL Folk dance fans bop to Bavarian beats at Kocherlball festival
  • Date: 20th July 2015
  • Summary: VARIOUS OF COUPLE DANCING ON STAGE VARIOUS OF PEOPLE DANCING AT KOCHERLBALL FESTIVAL
  • Embargoed: 4th August 2015 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Germany
  • Country: Germany
  • Topics: General
  • Reuters ID: LVABLTUAAL5Q5ZAL8HLY9QYKQSPB
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: Hundreds of people pulled their finest traditional costumes out of the closet on Sunday (July 19) to celebrate the annual Kocherlball dance festival in Munich.
    While beer is poured, people spin around dressed in their Bavarian Lederhosen or Dirndl dresses to the sound of accordions and violins.
    Dances including polka and waltz are played, and some even dare to dance the Alpine 'schuhplatter', by stomping the soles of their shoes and clapping thighs and knees with their hands.
    The "Cook's ball" is an early morning dance-fest that is celebrated by the Chinese Tower in Munich's English Garden Park.
    It comes from an old tradition in which city servants, cooks and nannies got up early to meet and dance around the tower from about 5am to 8am as it was the only time the lower-classes could get off work because their masters were still asleep.
    The festival was banned in 1904 due to "lack of morality" but was revived in the 80's for the 200th anniversary of the park.
    Now it is celebrated between 6 and 10 am and most people still dance, but many show up only to enjoy the festive mood.
    Franzi Kinateder said she had never missed a Kocherlball since the tradition was re-established.
    "I have been going to the Kocherball since 1984, when it was opened again. Then it was small with lanterns and a lot less people, but I enjoyed it," told Reuters, all dressed up for the occasion.
    Dagmar Georgewa, who travels several times a year from Bulgaria to Munich because of her job, wore a traditional Dirndl and said she had even joined classes to be able to dance in the traditional way.
    "I love this tradition in this modern version. There are a lot of young people that dance not just in the traditional way but also in an improvised way. And I think that is good. I joined a Bavarian dance course to prepare myself for this, and it was very nice," she said.
    "For me, this is the most beautiful festival in Munich. Of course the Oktobertfest is also great, but the Kocherlball is something special. And I don't mind getting up at four in the morning to be here at six for it," Andre Bandel added.
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