Tartu Folk-Off 2020

VĪTERI

Latvia

Sandra Stare, Einārs Lipskis

“Vīteri” was formed in 2003 to preserve Latgalian songs, dances and traditions. Now “Vīteri” consists of 40 children and young adults with their numbers growing. The group comes together and takes part in different festivals organized by the city of Rezekne, i.e Latvian song festival and many international festivals, “Pulkā eimu, pulkā teku” competitions. The group also organizes children game programs, dance evenings for youngsters and thematic solstice camps. We are happy to sing and pull all foreigners into our dances. We take part in our country’s most important festivals and make our own. Chapel performances, performing melodies, which are arranged by out leader Einārs Lipskis. In addition to these songs our group presents dances performed by our dancers. We play songs, that describe our ever-changing group members.

MOTORA

Finland

Eveliina Pilke, Mitja Pilke

Motora is a Finnish folk dance ensemble which performs cheerful and stirring dances. Motora is specialized in Karelian folk dance. Motora was founded in 1968, they are known for reshaping conventional dances, so that they are fresh but still traditional. Today they have grown from a single dance group to a holistic dance and music club. There are about 200 dancers altogether in Motora. Motora's groups perform a lot in Finland but also abroad at different festivals. The group has made 50 trips abroad, including Hungary, the USA, Denmark, Sweden, Russia, Germany and Italy. Motora has received a lot of recognition for their good work from Finland.

DOLIJA

Lithuania

Vilija Vaitkienė

Žvėrynas Gymnasium’s (Vilnius) folk group Dolija was founded in 1998. The group joins young people of different ages who enjoy traditional songs, dances, and instrumentals. Members of the group themselves also play many folk instruments – pipes, Lithuanian whistles, the violin, and the accordion. The group has performed in many places. Every year they participate in the festival Skamba skamba kankliai. In 2009 the group had the honour of performing a concert to the Spanish royal couple. Other than concerts at different parts of Lithuania (Klaipeda, Drusnkininkai, Varena, Trakai) the group has also taken part in foreign festivals in Macedonia, Slovakia, Russia, and Poland. Dolija is not a first-time performer at the Tartu Youth Folklore Festival. They also participated in the first festival in 2016 which makes them one of the founders of today’s festival.

PUTNI

Latvia

Ilze Kļaviņa

“Putni”, which means “birds” in Latvian, is a folk group from Krimulda county that started its activities in Lēdurga Culture Centre in 2005, uniting different generations at ages 2 to 62. Every participant brings what they wish into the group – some sing, some play instruments, some tell stories, some cook, some dance, some sew or knit belts etc. The members of the group have made their own costumes following the examples of 10th – 12th century archeological Livonian clothes. The members of “Putni” can also teach ancient crafts. All the ancient musical instruments (pipes, drums, „rain” whistles, and other ancient wind instruments) are made by themselves. When accompanying dances, they play modern instruments, such as violins, accordions, the double bass. The repertoire of the group comprises both of folk songs that are sung and the so-called call songs, as well as ritual folk songs that accompanied important changes in a person’s life and the seasonal cycles in nature.

TEIKAS MUZIKANTI

Latvia

Teikas Muzikanti is a folk music group with participants that have been playing together since their teenage years. However for Tartu Youth folklore festival they also invited two good friends to join them. Latvian traditional culture in all its manifestations (songs, dances, celebrations etc.) is a part of them and their life so they are always excited to share their culture. Teikas Muzikanti plays a variety of musical instruments – kokle, violin, accordion, recorder, mandolin, ukulele. Their rehearsals are usually held in Riga, specifically – Teika which is part of Riga where they all lived at one point, which is where their group's name comes from. However, most of the members are from Vidzeme county, which is why the traditional clothing they wear is originated from different areas of Vidzeme.

LEIGARID

Estonia

Sille Kapper, Mall Paulus

Leigarid dance and sing songs, that were dear to their ancestors. Today those songs, dances and games have gone from wider use and are getting a second life at the improvisatory performances of the Leigarid. Traditional dance is always accompanied by live instrumental music and the live creation of song dance is inspired by regional traditions. Leigarid wear authentic traditional clothing, that originates from different parts and eras of Estonia. The group was founded in 1969 and since then has been performing every Saturday and Sunday at the Estonian Open Air Museum, at the Sassi-Jaani farm’s yard, altogether for half a century.

LEESIKAD

Estonia

Kristiina Siig

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RATILĖLIS

Lithuania

Alvyda Česienė

Folk group „Ratilėlis“ was established in 1991. Nowadays the main group consists of 37 members aged 11-18 years. Children can sing, dance and play different musical instruments such as panpipes, horns, bagpipes, kanklės and cymbals. The group performs a lot in Kaunas and other cities in Lithuania, but also abroad. In 2009 the group was chosen as the best folk group of Lithuania and in 2010 and 2017 won gold medals from the international festival Eurofolk.