Csárdás or czardas (pronounced char-dash) (Hungarian csárdás, from csárda, a tavern or inn) is a traditional Hungarian folk dance. It originated in Hungary and was popularized by Roma music bands in Hungary and neighboring lands of Vojvodina, Slovakia, Slovenia, Croatia, Carpathian Ruthenia, Transylvania-(Hungarian Kingdom) and Moravia, as well as among the Banat Bulgarians, including those in Bulgaria.
Its origins can be traced back to the 18th century Hungarian verbunkos, used as a recruiting dance by the Hungarian army.
Csárdás is characterized by a variation in tempo: it starts out slowly (lassú) and ends in a very fast tempo (friss, literally "fresh"). There are other tempo variations, called ritka csárdás, sűrű csárdás and szökős csárdás. The music is in 2/4 or 4/4 time.
Probably the best known "Csardas" is by Vittorio Monti written for violin and piano (and it can be played by Erhu). It has 5 variations in tempo, and is quite virtuosic.
The dancers are both male and female, with the women dressed in traditional wide skirts, usually colored red, which form a distinctive shape when they whirl.
Classical composers who have used csárdás themes in their work include Franz Liszt, Johannes Brahms, Johann Strauss, Pablo de Sarasate, Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky and others.
