Living heritage, and its diversity among all of Latvia’s traditional lands, is one of the most crucial sources of Latvia’s cultural uniqueness. The folklore programme Dindaru, Dandaru [the refrain in a traditional singing game], referencing the Festival motto Radu darot, daru radot [I create by acting and act by creating], and the notable Latvian diplomat Aina Nagobads-Ābola’s motto Daru un daru zināmu [I do and make known], uses play and joyful collaboration to ensure the presence of an unvarnished, living heritage at XIII Latvian School Youth Song and Dance Festival events. Each folklore group has prepared an individual performance rooted in their local tradition to create the programme Creating Regional Patterns at the Ethnographic Open-Air Museum and Vērmane Garden; meanwhile, the individual participants and small ensembles of the folklore programme will display their skills while adhering to their regional singing, dancing, music and language characteristics in the folklore competition winners’ concert Look What I Can Do at VEF Culture Palace. And all of us together will weave a Garland of Games for Latvia in Freedom Square, showing the magic of singing games, the joy of play, and the thrill of being together. See you there!
Project Manager, Director Māra Mellēna
Creative Group:
Artistic Director Dina Liepa
Musical Director, Director’s Assistant Katrīna Dimanta
Artist Ērika Māldere
Set Designer Aigars Lenkevičs
Technical Director Reinis Druvietis
Director’s Assistant Madara Ziemele
Director’s Assistant Katrīna Feldmane
