9-10-2019
Folk Dance Festival/Šokių Šventė 2020
Dear directors and teachers of Lithuanian Folk Dance groups,
Summer has passed incredibly fast. Again, we have drawn on new strength, working to prepare for the upcoming Šokiu Švente/Folk Dance Festival in Philadelphia, which will be called The Kings' Tale.
I sincerely thank all those who participated in the dance teachers' course at Dainava. We accomplished a huge amount of work. During the course the festival's whole repertoire was staged. We learned 28 dances. Please give my deepest thanks to all the dancers, who were wonderful.
Soon all the informational material will be posted on the festival's website: https://www.sokiusvente2020.org
At the course, we held a preliminary registration for the festival. The final registration will be due by Nov.1. By then, every group, even those who handed in a preliminary registration at the dance course, will have to be registered with the exact number of dancers. You will find the registration form attached to this email.
By Jan.1, every group will have to send in a video of dances:
Vaikai/Children - 2
Jauniai/Youth - 2
Studentai/Students - 3
Suauge/Adults/young vets -3
Pagyvene/older vets – 2
That will help us understand better what assistance you need and how we can help you prepare for the festival.
As was mentioned at the course, student groups will be divided into 2 groups in order to prepare more easily for the festival. Exactly who and what dances they will dance will be announced after registration.
I know you are starting practices and want to know which dances to teach. Start with Polka Op Op, Malunas, Rezginele and Sadute.
Directors of youth groups, please send me, as soon as possible, your boys' average height measurement, so we can sew the sacks for the Striuks Buks dance.
All necessary props will be provided. Your responsibility will be to provide the headscarves for the dance Taukšt Pataukšt and the sashes/juostos for Rezginele. The sashes must not be silk or wide (celebratory with writing). Dancers must wear sashes tied on their waists. That means, if a boy or girl is wearing a sash, they must hold another sash in their hands.
You will find photos of the headscarf in this email. There is a video of how to tie it on the website. Measurements for the scarf are 43.30" x 43.30"
I will send the standards for the national costume in the next email.
If you have any questions, you can write me or call me at 630 254 4953.
To those groups coming from abroad:
We are eagerly awaiting you at our festival. The organizing committee does not fund your travel or your expenses during the festival. Nor can it guarantee you.
Summer has passed incredibly fast. Again, we have drawn on new strength, working to prepare for the upcoming Šokiu Švente/Folk Dance Festival in Philadelphia, which will be called The Kings' Tale.
I sincerely thank all those who participated in the dance teachers' course at Dainava. We accomplished a huge amount of work. During the course the festival's whole repertoire was staged. We learned 28 dances. Please give my deepest thanks to all the dancers, who were wonderful.
Soon all the informational material will be posted on the festival's website: https://www.sokiusvente2020.org
At the course, we held a preliminary registration for the festival. The final registration will be due by Nov.1. By then, every group, even those who handed in a preliminary registration at the dance course, will have to be registered with the exact number of dancers. You will find the registration form attached to this email.
By Jan.1, every group will have to send in a video of dances:
Vaikai/Children - 2
Jauniai/Youth - 2
Studentai/Students - 3
Suauge/Adults/young vets -3
Pagyvene/older vets – 2
That will help us understand better what assistance you need and how we can help you prepare for the festival.
As was mentioned at the course, student groups will be divided into 2 groups in order to prepare more easily for the festival. Exactly who and what dances they will dance will be announced after registration.
I know you are starting practices and want to know which dances to teach. Start with Polka Op Op, Malunas, Rezginele and Sadute.
Directors of youth groups, please send me, as soon as possible, your boys' average height measurement, so we can sew the sacks for the Striuks Buks dance.
All necessary props will be provided. Your responsibility will be to provide the headscarves for the dance Taukšt Pataukšt and the sashes/juostos for Rezginele. The sashes must not be silk or wide (celebratory with writing). Dancers must wear sashes tied on their waists. That means, if a boy or girl is wearing a sash, they must hold another sash in their hands.
You will find photos of the headscarf in this email. There is a video of how to tie it on the website. Measurements for the scarf are 43.30" x 43.30"
I will send the standards for the national costume in the next email.
If you have any questions, you can write me or call me at 630 254 4953.
To those groups coming from abroad:
We are eagerly awaiting you at our festival. The organizing committee does not fund your travel or your expenses during the festival. Nor can it guarantee you.
From the President’s Desk:
2019 June
Dear LFDI Members!
Warm weather and sunshine have arrived, lifting our spirits! We trust everyone is looking forward, as much as we are, to the 2020 Dance Festival Workshop for directors and teachers. Our Workshop returns to Camp Dainava in Manchester, Michigan this August 11th thru 18th. The LFDI Board and Artistic Committee are working together to organize an interesting and productive workshop. We are fortunate to have Professor Vidmantas Maciulskis, the Dean of the Lithuanian Academy of Music and Theatre Dance Department of Klaipeda, Lithuania attending our Workshop and presenting some of his new dances.
We are taking advantage of the opportunity for many of you to be attending the Workshop and have scheduled our annual Members’ meeting for Wednesday, August 14th, at 6pm. The Dance Festival scenario (theme) will be presented that evening. Also, we are expecting a representative of the Dance Festival’s Organizing Committee to share their most current plans for the Festival weekend July 3-5, 2020.
We are sincerely grateful to the previous Board of Directors: Rytis Grybauskas, Vilija Kirvelaitis, Tomas Mikuckis, Ruta Mickunas and Danguole Varnas. Everyone has been generous with their time, knowledge and experience to help us get started organizing the Workshop. The newly elected Board Members are presented on the following pages. We have also invited Giedrius Stankevicius, Director of Atlanta’s “Jievaras” to assist with special projects for LFDI. He has agreed to be our public relations representative and LFDI webmaster. Thank you, Giedrius!
At the time you receive this newsletter, the new Board will have been in office for five weeks. The LFDI Board and Artistic Committee are working together to organize an interesting, productive and enjoyable workshop week. The time spent here affords an opportunity to reunite with dance friends and make new connections, share information and exchange ideas. Artistic Director, Gintaras Grinkevicius and the Artistic committee will be teaching the festival dances and be able to answer all your questions. We’re so sorry that we had a late start and thankful for your patience to receive the Workshop information. Not much longer until August!
All groups planning to participate in the 2020 Lithuanian Dance Festival in Philadelphia are required to have their director, teacher or other representative attend. We suggest you bring at least 2 dancers to participate in the Workshop. Arrival for the Workshop is Sunday, August 11th at 3pm, no earlier. You will receive dance writeups, diagrams and begin familiarizing yourself with the Festival repertoire. Dances will be taught from Monday thru Saturday by the following categories:
Children (3rd thru 6th grades); Youth (7th thru 11th grades);
Student (12th grade to 33 years); Adult (34 to 54); Senior (55 and older)
Scheduled Dances by Age Group
Monday: Students
Tuesday: Students
Wednesday: Adults
Thursday: Seniors and 1 dance for Adults and Children together
Friday: Children and 1 dance for Seniors with Youth dancers
Saturday: Youth
Our Newsletter contains:
• Introduction of new LFDI Board Members
• Ramune Kubiliute’s Intro to LFDI and the Dance Festival Workshop
• 2018 “Golden Bird”, which is the most prestigious award for a Lithuanian Amateur Dance Group
• Interview with Artistic Director Gintaras Grinkevicius
• 2020 Dance Festival Repertoire, approved by LFDI Board
• Membership dues form 2019 or 2020 (please note which year is being paid) - Direct Link to Membership Dues Form
• Registration form – Dance Festival Instructors Workshop with fees and due dates - Direct Link to Registration Form
• Festival Pre-registration for Dance group Directors and Teachers
• Camp Dainava Consent form
• Additional Information. ALL forms need to be submitted at registration.
Direct Link to Newsletter #71
Not only will we be learning new dances! Our evenings will be highlighted by well-known “Special Event Planners”, Vida Kairys and Vida Zenkevicius, both of Toronto’s “Gintaras” Ensemble fame. See everyone soon at beautiful, tranquil and beloved Camp Dainava!
Violeta and LFDI Board
Dear LFDI Members!
Warm weather and sunshine have arrived, lifting our spirits! We trust everyone is looking forward, as much as we are, to the 2020 Dance Festival Workshop for directors and teachers. Our Workshop returns to Camp Dainava in Manchester, Michigan this August 11th thru 18th. The LFDI Board and Artistic Committee are working together to organize an interesting and productive workshop. We are fortunate to have Professor Vidmantas Maciulskis, the Dean of the Lithuanian Academy of Music and Theatre Dance Department of Klaipeda, Lithuania attending our Workshop and presenting some of his new dances.
We are taking advantage of the opportunity for many of you to be attending the Workshop and have scheduled our annual Members’ meeting for Wednesday, August 14th, at 6pm. The Dance Festival scenario (theme) will be presented that evening. Also, we are expecting a representative of the Dance Festival’s Organizing Committee to share their most current plans for the Festival weekend July 3-5, 2020.
We are sincerely grateful to the previous Board of Directors: Rytis Grybauskas, Vilija Kirvelaitis, Tomas Mikuckis, Ruta Mickunas and Danguole Varnas. Everyone has been generous with their time, knowledge and experience to help us get started organizing the Workshop. The newly elected Board Members are presented on the following pages. We have also invited Giedrius Stankevicius, Director of Atlanta’s “Jievaras” to assist with special projects for LFDI. He has agreed to be our public relations representative and LFDI webmaster. Thank you, Giedrius!
At the time you receive this newsletter, the new Board will have been in office for five weeks. The LFDI Board and Artistic Committee are working together to organize an interesting, productive and enjoyable workshop week. The time spent here affords an opportunity to reunite with dance friends and make new connections, share information and exchange ideas. Artistic Director, Gintaras Grinkevicius and the Artistic committee will be teaching the festival dances and be able to answer all your questions. We’re so sorry that we had a late start and thankful for your patience to receive the Workshop information. Not much longer until August!
All groups planning to participate in the 2020 Lithuanian Dance Festival in Philadelphia are required to have their director, teacher or other representative attend. We suggest you bring at least 2 dancers to participate in the Workshop. Arrival for the Workshop is Sunday, August 11th at 3pm, no earlier. You will receive dance writeups, diagrams and begin familiarizing yourself with the Festival repertoire. Dances will be taught from Monday thru Saturday by the following categories:
Children (3rd thru 6th grades); Youth (7th thru 11th grades);
Student (12th grade to 33 years); Adult (34 to 54); Senior (55 and older)
Scheduled Dances by Age Group
Monday: Students
Tuesday: Students
Wednesday: Adults
Thursday: Seniors and 1 dance for Adults and Children together
Friday: Children and 1 dance for Seniors with Youth dancers
Saturday: Youth
Our Newsletter contains:
• Introduction of new LFDI Board Members
• Ramune Kubiliute’s Intro to LFDI and the Dance Festival Workshop
• 2018 “Golden Bird”, which is the most prestigious award for a Lithuanian Amateur Dance Group
• Interview with Artistic Director Gintaras Grinkevicius
• 2020 Dance Festival Repertoire, approved by LFDI Board
• Membership dues form 2019 or 2020 (please note which year is being paid) - Direct Link to Membership Dues Form
• Registration form – Dance Festival Instructors Workshop with fees and due dates - Direct Link to Registration Form
• Festival Pre-registration for Dance group Directors and Teachers
• Camp Dainava Consent form
• Additional Information. ALL forms need to be submitted at registration.
Direct Link to Newsletter #71
Not only will we be learning new dances! Our evenings will be highlighted by well-known “Special Event Planners”, Vida Kairys and Vida Zenkevicius, both of Toronto’s “Gintaras” Ensemble fame. See everyone soon at beautiful, tranquil and beloved Camp Dainava!
Violeta and LFDI Board
