Folkloristic ensemble "Doudleban" of Doudleby City
The Doudleban ensemble was established in 1943, in a hard-war time. As since that time it has been continuously working, it is considered to be the oldest folkloristic ensemble in the South Bohemia. During its existence the periods of prosperity and decline alternated, repeatedly. People, capable to take care about its activities and folkloristic traditions, appeared even in the ensemble's bad times. Thus, the main task - to keep the traditions and folk-habits of the Doudleby region living, the ensemble has always been completing. As almost all of the Doudleban's members are living in the centre of the Doudleby region, the repertoire is oriented to the so-called "treasure-box folklore" of this area, only. The "treasure-box folklore" means, that all presented folk songs; folk-habits and folk-dances are being performed in the same manner as our grand-grandparents were doing. Even our folk-dresses are mostly original, the proof of which are years engraved on the men's belts.
The ensemble works with archive ethnographic materials related to Doudleby region transferring them to a stage with minimum choreographic changes and the impact of a director. Among presented performances lasting from 20 up to 60 minutes the following ones should be mentioned, namely. "V neděli vodpoledne" (Sunday afternoon), "Tak se tancuje u nás, na Doudlebsku" (How we Doudlebians dance), "Doudlebské dožínky" (Doudlebian harvest home), "Na Doudlebské návsi" (At the green of Doudleby) and "Masopust" (Shrove carnival). Accordion and "vozembouch" players accompany the ensemble choir. The "vozembouch" is untranslatable name of an old folk instrument, which substitutes the role of classical drum section in the orchestra. Occasionally, the ensemble co-operates with well-known Czech bag-piper Josef Benedik. The music section is directed by Jan Šesták.
As soon as in 1952 SUPRAPHON CO released the first record of Doudleban (Folk Songs). According to The Czech Television order we prepared under the direction of Zdeněk Flídr a document dedicated to famous Czech composer Vítězslav Novák - "Vítězslav Novák and folk song". With TV Metropol we co-operated on the preparation of following videocassettes: "S Budvarkou v Pomalší" (With Budvarka Orchestra in Malše river countryside) and "Příběh psaný řekou" (A story written by the river). In co-operation with folk orchestra "Veselka" directed by Ladislav Kubeš we prepared the music performance "Aus Böhmen kommt die Music" for German TV ZDF.
Doudleban ensemble activities are not restricted to South Bohemia area (folkloristic concerts and festivals in Kovářov, Písek, Holašovice, etc.) penetrating throughout whole Czech Republic: Doudleby nad Orlicí (Eastern Bohemia), Doloplazy u Olomouce (Northern Moravia) and Strážnice (Southern Moravia). After 1989 we made even our first steps abroad. Rijeka (Croatia) is probably the most distant place where we acted dancing folk dances for our countrymen. Our taking part in the celebration of St. Venceslaus' wake at the Czech Embassy in Vienna we consider to be the most important event in the closest neighbouring country - Austria. Further, we independently organised there more performances in Gmünd, Albrechtsberg and Salzburg. With the help of Municipal Corporation officials from the city Týn nad Vltavou our music section partially ensured a cultural programme for the presentation of the organisers of World Championship in canoeing (Stockton, England). In our "home place" Doudleby we became traditional organisers of "Masopustní koleda" (Shrove carnival carol), "Doudlebské dožínky" (Doudlebian harvest home) and Štěpánská zábava (St. Stephan hop).
The ensemble comprises 30 members partially coming even from more distant localities (e.g. Týn nad Vltavou and Český Krumlov). Once a week they gather together in Friday evenings for exercises in order to improve current repertoire and to prepare new performances. Nowadays, the ensemble has the statute of non-profit Civil Association. To gain a material support for our work we search for co-operation with other institutions among which the Municipal Corporation of Doudleby should be mentioned, namely. This co-operation is very good during last time and Municipal Corporation fully supports our activity in the frame of its possibilities. We wish to appreciate this help by the spreading of Doudleby good name both throughout Czech Republic and abroad.
Despite of our work with a history we are living today and we are thinking about the future of the ensemble. The ensemble future we do not see in the preparation of new actions and performances, only. Its ground stone we see in the continuing of Doudleban work, when our generation is gone. This is the task for our children ensemble Doudlebánek (Little Doudleban).
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