Meeting and talking with everyone in the United German Hungarians comes so naturally because we all share a similar passion for Schuhplattler, Gemutlichkeit, and a general love for keeping up with our culture and background. Weeks ago, I could have said that with very little evidence to back it up, but after the weekend we endured, I could have never guessed what I was getting myself into, and what a perfect decision I made for myself. When I woke up at 8:00 am on Saturday morning, ready for a Bierfest at the German American Society in Philadelphia, I had NO idea what to expect. Whenever you experience something new for the first time, there is always some level of hesitancy and trepidation. Driving into this adventure was the same feeling I would experience as a child on the first day of school: even as a social butterfly, I was entering into an entirely new location with only the faces of the German Hungarians to comfort me.
I would have NEVER admitted it that day, but I was actually nervous, almost terrified to be going through with this! The fear that I would mess up a dance set for example, and a litany of other possibilities clouded my head, and had I continued to let my thoughts get the best of me, I might have just sat on the sidelines and cheered on the group in each set, just to maintain my own positive energy in the room. But when the 45-minute drive was over, and we arrived at our destination, we stepped into the venue and I felt a weight lifted off of my shoulders. We were surrounded by tables of imported German beers, the “Polkadelphia” band on the stage, and a gorgeous floor to dance on in the center of the room. I had not even been downstairs where more events were going on, like a small circus sideshow, and a fire pit outside with S’Mores on a peaceful outdoor patio. The group went over the dance sets for the day, and we proceeded to wait for the audience to funnel into the venue. I sat on the side to watch the first dance of the first set, and that actually mellowed me out entirely, as I could feel the energy in the room: every crisp stamp, every slap, the cheering, the upbeat music, and in one swift motion, I realized that there is almost nothing to fear. I confidently got into the second dance, raring to go, and it couldn’t have gone smoother: it was hard to maintain my focus as I was laughing and smiling a bit too hard, which as cheesy as it sounds, is genuinely the emotions that were pouring out in that moment.
As I got off the floor from the first set, we shared a cold beverage on the sidelines, and I thought to myself “you made the perfect choice, this is the right group for you.” After taking the time to explore the rest of the event, we came back to what I can only describe as something I’ve never seen before at a dance job. Before our second set, there was a group known as Berlin Beerlesque, and as the name surely implies, it made the 21 plus age restriction at the event much clearer to me. It is extremely difficult to describe exactly how it felt to watch a 15-minute montage of a circus ringmaster and a handful of exotic dancers, and THEN attempt to keep the crowd interactive via a few polkas and waltzes. You won’t believe me when I tell you this, but we managed to pull that one off. The crowd energy continued throughout the rest of the job, as the Schuhplattler dancing just became more natural as the afternoon progressed. After what proceeded to be one of my favorite events to perform at, the night was still young, as we still had HK Night at Austrian Village.
As we lugged ourselves back into the car, it had occurred to me that I had never experienced Die Heimatklänge Night either, it was a day full of new experiences. I have always been inspired and impressed by the skills and musical talents of “HK,’ so I knew it would be a blast regardless. Upon entering the Austrian Village, I was met with more members of the German Hungarians, as well as members from other clubs: Oley, Rochester, Delaware, and other members of our extended German family. The room filled with what looked to be over 150 people, and the schnitzel dinner, along with the cabbage, assorted vegetables, and a nice cold beer, was fabulous! There was socializing, making jokes, telling stories, and catching up with everyone on the dance floor, by the tables, or by the bar. My only fear now became that the night would be over before I had a chance to say hello to everyone there. The impromptu dancing with a mix of German, Polish, and American music was unforgettable.
I pray that this weekend was the first of many with all of the Trachtlers I call family. All of these memories were made in such a short time, and the more people I conversed with, and the more stories that we shared, the more comforting it felt knowing that I had truly found a place I can call home with the United German Hungarians.
Evan Wolz
EDITOR’S NOTE: Evan Wolz is a recently approved member of the United German Hungarians. He has been attending dance practices in the recent months and also danced with the group at the Kirchweihfest last November. This is his first written article for our club, but you can expect to see his name on the website more often going forward. If you see Evan at our events or with our dance group and you don’t already know him, introduce yourself and make him, feel welcome!
