The annual Estonian Song and Dance Festival takes place annually in early July, featuring both daytime and evening performances. It is one of Latvia’s premier events and truly unforgettable experience!
Here are a few songs to get you motivated to go out and experience summer festivities this year!
Traditional Dances
Traditional dances tend to be group events (with the exception of Indian and Islamic solo ones) and do not carry as high an emotional charge as European forms like Latin or ballet dances; rather they usually symbolize higher cultural or spiritual aspects of society.
Women’s traditional dance styles reflect their close connection with Mother Earth. Northern plains dancers use stationary dancing style that never leaves the ground while southern tribeswomen perform walkaround dance clockwise around an arena; both include honor beats with women raising fans above their heads as part of each performance.
Many indigenous communities living along the Sepik River live in remote villages tucked deep within dense forests, and their way of life has changed little over thousands of years. Their clan structures remain unchanged while they believe animals like snakes and pigs represent clan spirits while powerful spirits such as crocodiles and eagles protect villages from outside attackers. As such, some of the most exciting traditional dances originate in these isolated tribal cultures and usually feature music including instruments like Hio, flute, or Kauvaha, wooden jaw hit against floor instrument among others.
Fire Dancers
Fire performers provide festival audiences with memorable, breathtaking, and jaw-dropping entertainment. Their act consists of dancers maneuvering props engulfed in real flames while performing complex choreography to the beat of live music or an audio track. Their best performances take place after sunset to showcase the mesmerizing contrast between their burning props and the darkness of night sky – or in general. Their routines may be rhythmic or unpredictable but most strive to tell a specific tale or illicit an emotional response from their audiences.
Poi, commonly used by artists for fire dancing, range in size from small, single-ringed spinning rings to multi-ringed units worn around a performer’s neck and shoulders. Maori people of Polynesia are widely credited as being pioneers of this spectacular form of dance known as fire spinning or fire manipulation; historically it was practiced to train for battle while keeping women flexible for weaving; now its primary use is at festivals as an entertaining acrobatic performance as part of fundraising events or celebrations.
Dancers looking for an exciting and intimate performance may use lit coconuts arranged in a circle and accompanied by music from ukuleles, flutes or drums in what’s commonly referred to as a fire hula routine – this performance typically highlights luaus parties! For audiences seeking even greater risk and adventure, fire knife dancing offers another exciting option that requires special training as well as skill.
Modern fire performers add a contemporary flare to this ancient art by employing cyr wheel equipment to produce swirling patterns and spins. These tools consist of two rings with handles designed to fit around their hands and enable manipulation similar to the traditional maori poi dancers. Cyr wheel equipment adds an unforgettable fiery element to any event from birthday parties, corporate retreats, weddings or private dinners.
Competitions
At the conclusion of each dance section, each dancer will be marked by an adjudicator; there will usually be 1st, 2nd and 3rd place awards at different festivals with medals often being distributed as awards. Following a day’s worth of dancing there may also be a show with judges seated onstage watching as dancers come out one by one to perform their section – these may include ballet, tap, modern character song & dance or lyrical among many more options; sometimes there may also be “choreographer’s Choice” awards or other forms of awards presented as awards!