Rotarian Blog's video: Suvartukas Ethnic folk group from Lithuania Lietuva Latvia

For more info: www.RotaryChildrensFund.org This group is going to come to US as part of Cultural Youth Exchange Program GOLDEN GATES „Suvartukas“ - is the oldest group both in the town and the region. We are from Lithuania town called Plunge, situated about 60 km from the Baltic Sea. The first steps of creative work were made in 1947 when 8 girls dressed in national costumes danced, later men joined them. At present the group consists of four subgroups: dancers, musicians, singers. The success of „SUVARTUKAS“ program is based on the national pieces applied for performance on the stage at a high artistic level. Lithuanian dances and songs applied for the stage are like a connection between the past and the present, serving as one of the ways to preserve one's identity on the wave of cosmopolitan culture. This was instinctively noticed by the „SUVARTUKAS“ creators 70 years ago. The dances performed by „SUVARTUKAS“ are rich of ethnography, Lithuanian traditions, colors, forms, some classical elements and reflections of our daily life. The repertoire consists of Samogitian region dances with clogs, games of shepherds, various polkas. Country side music orchestra consists of 10 professional musicians who play traditional Lithuanian instruments such as reed-pipes, panpipes as well as violins, contrabass, accordion, trumpet, clarinet, drums. Successors of ‘Suvartukas’ are members of studio “ SUVARTUKAS”. The studio was established in 2000. The dancers are aged 6 – 19. Most of them carry on the traditions of their parents , cherish the folk art. At present the group consists of 180 members. Little dancers cause joy not only for residents of Plunge. Groups of children successfully appeared in the festival of songs of World Lithuanian and the State festival of songs of schoolchildren in yearly festivals of songs and dances of Telsiai county. organized project “Laisvės vaikai” to honour the Lithuania Independence Day . In 2004 ,2008 ,2012 ,2016 the dancers became prize-winners of the state festival –contest of dancing children “Aguonele “.In 2007 group get the award as the best amateur group in Lithuania – Golden Bird . The group has visited many countries and festivals- Vales (2006) ,Greece (2006, 2014, 2017), International Children folk festival in Turkey (2007, 2008, 2009, 2012, 2013, 2015,2017. 2018)., Latvia (2009,2012,2017,2018,) Estonia ( 2010, 2011, 2017), Croatia ( 2004,2006), Czech ( 2009), Hungary ( 2009), Italy ( 2004, 2009, 2012) , Macedonia (2010, 2013, 2018), Bulgaria ( 2011, 2015) Poland ( 2012, 2018) ,Croatia (2008), Italy ( 2009,2012), Czech (2009), Germany ( 2010, 2013), , Poland (2010 ,2012, 2018 ). Slovakia ( 2014),), Spain ( 2015), Georgia ( 2017) ,Armenia ( 2018) The leaders of group “Suvartukas” - Ilona Baltikauskaite - artistic leader of the group, former dancer of the group. She is the ballet-master of “World Lithuanians festivals of songs” 2003 , 2007, 2009,2012,2014,2016 and creates dances and field compositions. "Suvartukas" is always willing to make friends with others who love dance and also to create joint projects with others who would like to popularize the songs and music of their native land.