Andor Czompo, recognized as the leading authority on Hungarian folklore and dance in the western hemisphere, was born in Budapest, but raised in Turkeve, a major dance region of eastern Hungary, where he was considered one of the best dancers in the area. Because of this, he was later invited to join one of the professional Hungarian folk dance ensembles, the Budapest Folk Ensemble. He toured with this government-subsidized group through Germany and Czechoslovakia.

In 1948, he graduated from St. Bernat Gimnasium with a certificate in liberal arts. Both his amateur and professional dance experience led to certification in the Institute of Folk Arts as a state-licensed professional folk-ethnic instructor in 1956, having passed a comprehensive government examination. Andor was a district Folk Art Supervisor in Borsod county, and worked on a folk art research project in the northern part of Hungary and in areas that were no longer a part of Hungary. Andor's sister, an accomplished dancer and teacher, and his mother remained behind.