Folklore group Radost (gladness) from Kamenný Újezd near České Budějovice was founded in 1986 in order to dance old tratitional czech dance "Česká beseda" (czech bower/chat). With time, repertoir and the number of dancers began to spread.
The group passed the way of aggrandizement but efen the way of crisis during its' performing. On this long way, denarys of dancers shifted in the group. Nevertheless the "heart of group" remained always the same and continued with dancing and keeping traditions and habits, in order to prove, that the traditional music and folklore can full-fledgedly gladden people. Even young people enters the group. Nowadays, Radost has eight dance pairs. In 2006, woman choir came into being and started to co-operate with Radost.
Very important for the group are also children, because the group includes a child group with its own music.
Radost is incorporated with Folk bagpipe music Bedrník which accompanies the dance group everywhere. You can see this music group even without dancers. The group consists of bagpipes, violin, Bb clarinet, viola, double bass and "vozembouch" ("hit-the-ground" = traditional south bohemian percussion).
The groups takes part in almost all actions organized in Kamenný Újezd (e.g. Staroceský ples, "Zahradní slavnost" - with its' very long traditon in the village, the feast, and the noel with a moving christmas crib. They can even welcome inhabitants of a partner swiss village Krauchtal.
The group participates also on actions organised abroad or elsewhere than in South Bohemia such as co-operation with the association of czech-german friendship in Passau. Radost also became known by its' performing on 9th national costume ball in Ždár nad Sázavou, organized by the Folklore assotiation of the Czech Republic. The group represented South Bohemia during this action.
Very notable fact is, that the group appeared in the film Hostel II (turned in 2006 in Ceský Krumlov, Radost was invited to co-operate).
Not only dancers, but musicians aslo perform in traditional costumes from Doudleby. It's very remarkable, that some parts are still originals from the 19th century. The rest are exact copies made by hand via almost forgotten method. The group belongs to the cultural area called Doudlebsko (around an old village Doudleby). And Kamenný Újezd is a few kilometres far from this cultural centre.
Repertoir of the group is very large (for example childhood games and dances, easter and christmas carols with the living christmas crib).
The group can even perform the old czech wedding (where the woman choir was incorporated for the first time). Next interesting point is the feast. In the repertoir habits, traditions and dances appear and they are not only from the Doudleby area but also from other cultural centres of South Bohemia.
