The folk dance group Dandari is going to celebrate its 30th anniversary with a concert

Dandari from the early beginning has kept its position among leading Latvian folklore dance groups both in perception of genre and performance mastery. Dandari among all the Latvian folklorists stands out as a unique collective. It is one of two students’ folklore groups, which from its very beginning attracted over 200 active participants. Given the diversity of folklore genres, special attention is placed also on the diversity of choreographic or dance folklore – starting from simple games, play-dances and couple dances to multi-couple dances, such as quadrilles, great dances, which require high level of experience and training both from dancers and musicians. Dandari brought to life several favourite folk dances, inspired by folklore tradition written accounts. The gratitude for this contribution should be expressed to the dance specialist Sniedze Grinberga and to the group’s creator, folk dance researcher Ernests Spics. Dandari participated with their folklore dance performances in multiple events of different levels and nature – in play-dances and dance lessons at schools and kindergartens, in charity events and annual increment festivities in Riga and other places of Latvia, youth folklore festivals and youth exchange programmes around Europe. Riga and Latvia have been represented in Smithson Festival, International Exposition EXPO, European Culture Days, NATO Summit Cultural Programme and during the events organized by the Embassy of Latvia. In order to introduce possibly larger Latvian audience with the diversity of folklore dance, in 2007 Dandari founded International Folk Music and Dance Festival Pa Peteriem. The group’s 30th anniversary will be celebrated with a Gala Concert in the Grand Hall of the University of Latvia. The Concert will unify not only the present participants of Dandari, but also older generation dancers, singers and musicians, as well as the youngest generation – little offsprings of the Dandari family. The name of the Concert is the text line borrowed from one of the Latvian play-dances – See how easy dancing is! (Redz’ kur viegla dancošan’), it aims to attest once again that folk dances together with songs and musical instruments contribute to even more valuable and magnificent performance. The prevailing idea of the Concert programme is to reflect the life story of a young person, referring to folklore herritage: the miracle of birth and our mission, realizing oneself as a personality, life long learning – school and life experience, craziness of young people, romantic feelings, love, wedding, joy of giving a new life and loss of relatives… The performance has been created by the artistic director of Dandari Ilmars Pumpurs, choreographers Dace Circene and Ernests Spics, as well as producer Andrejs Polozkovs. The event will take place on Sunday, November 14, 2010, in the UL Grand Hall at 15:00. The fans of folklore and Dandari, relatives and all interested are heartily welcomed to enjoy the Concert and taste the anniversary cake. Entrance is free. The live broadcast of the Concert will be available in the UL home page.
Translated by students of the professional study programme Translator of the University of Latvia.