THE DANCES
1.Iš aplinkui (Youth Group)
Choriography M. Vaitulevičiūtė
Music A.Bražinskas
The popular round (ring) game, during which youth come together in a circle, is well documented in Lithuanian folkloric tradition. This dance centers on the theme of friendship. Old friends bond and dance briskly, with youthful exuberance.
2. Kepurinė (Children‘s Group)
Choriography J. Lingys
Music J. Švedas
An old traditional folk dance of hospitality and greeting popular in many areas of Lithuania. During the dance, women merrily greet onlookers and call to them to join in the fun.
3. Pempel, pempel (Youth Group)
Choriography D. Radvilavičienė
Music P. Budginas
The lapwing, or pempė in Lithuanian, can often be seen and heard in the Lithuanian countryside. Dancers portray lapwings―sweeping, soaring upwards, hurling sideways, rolling, diving and throwing their wings everywhere―during their entertaining acrobatic displays.
4. Gaidys – The Rooster (Youth Group Men)
Choriography J. Lingys
Music A. Bražinskas
Six little roosterlings (male chicks) playfully follow and mimic the gestures of father rooster. Father seems to enjoy all of the attention, until the little ones misbehave and he has to call them to order.
5. Jautukas (The Little Bull)
An amusing display of youthful mischief, this dance brings to mind a Lithuanian saying: that horns, especially for children, grow quickly. It illustrates the playful nature of young children: “I’m the bull and my horns are big, when I come out, you better watch out!”
6. Malūnėlis - Little Windmill (Youth Group)
Lithuanian Folk Dance
Music J. Švedas
A variation of the much-loved tradition Malūnas (the [big] Mill), this dance illustrates―from the turning of the blades to the shifting of the gears―the milling process by which rye or wheat is ground into flour.
7. Klaipediečių apvalsčius (Adult Group)
Choriography T. Kalibataitės
Music J. Švedo
A dance with a waltz-like step from the Klaipėda district of North-Western Lithuania (Žemaitija).
8. Aštuonytis – The Eight-Yarn (Youth Gourp)
Choriography J. Lingys
Music J. Švedas
The word “nytis” in Lithuanian refers to the “heddle” or one of a set of threads, which, with mounting, compose the harness employed to separate and guide the warp threads in a loom. In this case, eight refers to the eight pairs of dancers and the strength and intricacy of the woven fabric. Dancers creatively and quite accurately portray the various steps in the weaving process.
9. Dek, ugnie! (Adult Group)
Choriography L. Kiselienė
Music V. Bartulis
Lithuanians have always considered fire to be sacred and holy. As in this dance, the people of old worshipped fire and performed many rituals to honour it: on the sacred hilltop, near the communal town flame, at the hearth of the homestead. To them it was the source of all life, warmth and light.
10. Mintinis (Youth Group)
A continuation of the flax harvesting process, the unique movements of this dance depict the threshing or treading of harvested flax. The stems were treaded on repeatedly in order to separate the stems from the seeds.
11. Rugučiai (Adult Group)
Lithuanina Folk Dance
Music J. Švedo
Until the middle of the last century, peasants had to manually harvest the rye. Couples would reap the harvest together, although each performing their own gender-specific task. As the movements of this dance suggest, the men would mow the rye, while the women would gather, tie and stack the bundles.
12. Mikita (Youth Group Men)
Choriography J. Lingys
Music J. Švedas
A traditional mens’ folk dance performed by two pairs of dancers with long sticks. The young men demonstrate (likely for the women) their strength in performing various different tricks with the sticks.
13. Trapukas (Youth Group Girls)
Choriography T. Kalibataitė
Music L. Povilaitis
A lively and amusing dance during which the girls idly stomp in their clogs. They amuse themselves knocking feet together with their partners and playfully reveling in their ornately decorated unique footwear.
14. Klumpakojis (Youth Group)
Choriography J. Gudavičius
Music P. Budrius
This very lively poka-type dance is popular in all areas of Lithuania. It gets its name from the wooden shoes that are worn during the dance. A playful flirtation takes place between young men and women, each trying to steal the others’ clogs.
15. Bitelės – Little Bees (Children‘s Group)
Choriography J. Pukštytė
Music G. Gudauskienė
Lithuanians of old were amazed by the behaviour of honeybees. They admired and respected them. A young girl would often be compared to the diligent, hardworking honeybee. During this dance, the girls playfully pretend to be flowers, bees drawing honey, and act out other bee-like behaviours.
16. Agotėlė (Youth Group)
Lithuanian Folk Dance
Definitely one of the most popular of dances among audiences everywhere. As the name suggests, this dance is dedicated to a girl, Agota (Agotėlė – the endearing form of the same name). It is a continuous conversation during which the guys profess their love and seek out the girls. They sing, “Every night my heart is hurt, I want to see my little girl.”
17. Sesė sodą sodino
Choriography L. Kisieliėnė
Music. A. Lapiskas
Lithuanians have always revered nature. Trees in particular, were believed to be sacred. The rural homestead was not complete without its garden, especially the orchard. Dancers, portray the women who would solemnly pay homage to the trees while maintaining the orchard entrusted to their care.
18. Eisim sesulės
Choriography B. Navickaitė
While second only to rye, the primary source of sustenance, flax was equally as important to Lithuanians and just as popular a subject in folklore. The movements in this dance depict the long and arduous flax harvesting process. Dancers harvest the ripened flax by uprooting it, cleaning it and bundling it all by hand.
19. Proteviu Zeme
Choriography B. Navickaitė
20. Rytagone
Choriography L. Kiseliene
Repertoire