So, for those that attended the song festival in Indy, what did you all think?

Here are a couple of my thoughts on what I saw/attended:

- The Kabaremonts was great!  I was entertained the whole way through! I loved the one exchange, “Tu esi krodznieks un latvietis?  Tautas varonis!!!” (or something like that).

- We had a great time at the balle we (Jurmalnieki) did.  It was great seeing all the kids and parents out there dancing rotalas and paru dejas.  Also, it was fun playing for the jauniesi that showed up from dance groups during the evening and playing the folk dances they requested - Vidzemes Polka, Berzgales Kadrila, Sudmalinas, Klabdancis and a host of others.  I hope those that attended enjoyed our music.

- Also, I think the folk performances at the Artsgarden, City Center and lastly at the Rathskeller (atvadu pusdienas) went well.  The sound crew at Artsgarden were amazing.  The groups that played were: Ceiruleits, Teiksma, Lini, Sudrabavots, Ezisi, Montreal (I don’t know if they have a name), and ourselves.  I think we all sounded really good!

- The tautas deja lieluzvedums.  That was unbelievably well organized.  Iveta Asone had everything down and covered.  Rehearsal seemed to be really smooth, and the idea of allowing the dancers to take a decent break between the general rehearsal and actual performance was a good idea.  The program itself was really well thought out and organized as well.  And the lighting effects were impressive.  At this point I only heard two critical comments - That the change over from dance to dance in some instances seemed way too long and secondly, that the program seemed fairly heavy with Indy choreographed dances.  Not my opinion, but stuff that I heard.

- The kopkuru koncerts.  Loved it as I always do.  To me, you haven’t been to Dziesmu Svetki if you don’t go to the kopkoru koncerts.  Good choice of songs.  I did have a problem understanding the words of the song commemorating the soldiers (strelnieki un legionari) and Latvia’s struggle for independence over the decades (can’t remember the name of it).  Also, since the concert was at the Conseco Field House, the snack stands, etc. were open.  You could buy popcorn and hotdogs and pretzels as well as beer. Okay, it was great for keeping the kids quiet and I admit to buying stuff for them to snack on, but it seemed kind of weird to me for a kopkoru concerts.  Maybe it’s just me.

- Finally, the Svetku Balle.  We actually played during one of the breaks that the main band, Polka Boy, took.  We were supposed to have played during two breaks, but they had a problem with the sound and so skipped the first one.  We had no problem with that.  We were happy just to sit back and relax and dance.  They’re a good group, but a little on the noisy side for me.  Plus a bunch of middle aged men acting like they’re hip teenagers?!?  Again, while I thought they were okay, I heard several opinions about them.  I gather that the Indy Latvians like them a lot.  And they got a good response because a lot of people danced to the music.  But then I also heard from people that said they were too loud (yeah, they were pretty loud), they didn’t play enough danceable music for folks of the older generation – this I heard from a number of people, and not just older folks, but people who come to these balles looking for a good dose of traditional-type balles music – and that they didn’t know enough slower pieces of music.  Someone at the next table said the only decent tune they played was Edelweiss.  Probably the most curious thing I found about the band’s choice in music was the first piece they played right after their break (this was right after we – Jurmalnieki – finished our ½ hour set)… They played I piece that I saw on their music stand in preparation called, The Star Spangled Banner Polka.  Basically, it’s the national anthem played with a polka rhythm.  Well, if they expected people to dance to it, they don’t know Latvians.  What do you think the entire svetku balle ballroom did?  They all stood up as any Latvian would do for a national anthem.  The only people out of the floor during this piece were a couple of little kids that didn’t know better.  But everyone else from youth to senior stood loyally.

(wow, I just realized how much I wrote about the Svetku Balle.  Again, I thought they were a good band, but I heard varying comments).

Anyway, so that’s my initial take on the Indy Dziesmu Svetki.  I really enjoyed it as did my family.  My kids were totally into it and are excited at the thought of going to the next one in Ventura, CA and participating there.

That’s about it.

Jurmalnieks Aleks

Wow, no one else was in Indy? ah well. :)

Where is Indy Janis??!!  Surely he was there!!  Maybe recuperating from the big event?

At any rate, I and I’m sure others reading here, who weren’t there, but wished they were, like me, appreciate hearing all about the happenings at Dziesmas Svetki.

Paldies,

Irena

I was there, I was there! (There’s even photographic proof right here on Latviansonline’s daily photo album.) I’ve just been too tired or too busy since to write anything.

Thanks for your thoughts Aleks.  I, too, thought it was a very good festival.

I agree that the folk dance performance was excellent, but that the ‘uznaksana un noiesana’ did often take a bit too long.  Many of the kids’ groups did really well, although there are least a couple of little girls whose little boy partners almost seemed to fear for their lives—the girls were pushing and pulling them quite forcefully.  But that situation is often seen, as the little girls seem to know the dances a bit better. Never ceases to amuse me, though.

In my opinion the big choir concert was just too darn long. There was one song that was absolutely awful (Rozu darza, or something like that)—a friend and I couldn’t believe that anyone would willingly chose that and put on the program.  The cantata about Bralu kapi was also not great, mostly because our men’s choir cannot pull off something like that—they’re just not strong enough.  Overall, I felt that at least three songs could have been axed and the quality of the program would not have suffered at all. Also, the parade of conductors definitely slowed things down. It’d be much more efficient if one conductor conducted two or three songs in a row instead of the constant switching.

Kabaremonts was absolutely fabulous.  I attended on Wednesday evening—that was just a great way to kick of the festival.

Sudrabavots had a good time performing at all of the folk music events, and we loved hearing all of the other groups.  Feedback about the events was very positive—lots of people liked the addition of traditional folk music to the festival program.

Overall, I thought it was a great festival.  Mils paldies to Indy for hosting and for all of their hard work in organizing it!!! :)

I was there too!
My main functions were to sing at the folklore shows & sell latvian folk music CDs.  I also participated in the “Dievturu daudzinajums”

Daina’s mother critiqued the folklore shows by saying “It was the best $30 concert I’ve heard for free” - because the folklore concerts were for free.  Since those concerts didn’t show up on the ticket sales sheet, a lot of people missed them, not realizing there were 3 programs for which no tickets were needed. 
Funny, huh?

We sold lots of CDs; people keep looking for latvian folk music, I’m glad to say.

Unfortunately wasn’t able to be there, but just discovered all the photos.  And thank you to whomever put all the detailed captions on the photos.  Very nice and nice to put names with faces.

Looks like it was a lot of fun.  And didn’t realize that there were groups/singers/directors from Latvia there as well.  How lucky all of you were to be there!  Maybe next time for us…

Although we arrived back here too late for Indianapolis, my children were “chuffed” to encounter by chance evidence of Latvian life here last weekend.  To re-baptize ourself as Chicagoans we signed up to the ride a 25 mile middle of the night bike ride through the various ethnic neighborhoods of Chicago in order to benefit the Friends of the Parks here.  By chance we rode something like 200 blocks on Elston Avenue, scanning buildings all the way to see if we could spy the Community Center.  My daughter found it first, shouting out that there were beautiful stained glass windows of Auselklitis..."HAS to be Latvian!” I’m sure the people riding alongside us thought we were a bit crazy, but she broke out into Put Vejinji at the top of her lungs.  Sure it’s not Riga, but felt a bit more like home.:-)

“...Elston Avenue, scanning buildings all the way to see if we could spy the Community Center.  My daughter found it first, shouting out that there were beautiful stained glass windows of Auselklitis..."HAS to be Latvian!” ...

Yes you found it!  That stained glass window is in the 1-room museum on the 2. floor.
I cannot find pictures of the museum on the web, but it is worth visiting.  It is chock-full of latvian ethnografic art - folk dress, musical instruments, weaving, knittings etc. etc.

see:  http://www.museumsusa.org/museums/info/1165392
http://www.cikaga.com/

OK folks.

Indy Janis here.  Been meaning to say something about dz. svetki but now it is waaaaay too long and it is old happening.  It has been long overdue but finally the official name of this fest is/was
Dziesmu un Deju Svetki.  I was involved with judging “jaundejas"(some were more along the line of balets and tautas terpi were non existant---more like army uniforms but all in all the performance was pleasing though I did not like the skatuves dejas as well as the groups that stuck to the traditional moves.  It was tough judging all the first class presentations---WAY TO GO Chicago group---verrrry
well executed and the choreografe(Sandra) did a first rate job.  Her dance is a must for future lieluzvedums.

I spent most of the four days at “TIRDZINS” where Latviesu Tautas Deju Apvieniba was trying to sell ‘88 tautas deju gramata---sold very few since most of the deju conouseours were either at practices or performances.  Do not understand why latvian newspaper LAIKS , to this day, has not written about tautas deju lieluzvedums---canadian paper “Latvija Amerika” did(Thanks Kanuks)

To put on such a big to doooo takes many people, much time and one heck of a gamble that it will be a financial break even.  I hear that it will be MIGHTY close!!!!!!!  Thanks Gunar Kancs and all your helpers(rukisi)

Have not heard of any city in the US that has steaped up for the next one in 5 years.

FOLKS----how about this idea.  Why not have a baltic festival----Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia go together and put on one heck of a folk fest.  Sing ONLY folk songs, dance folk dances have a great tirdzins, have a grand ball with a goooood band and have enough free time to visit with long lost friends before we all “kick” the bucket.

How about the baltic organization leadership steping up and get the ball rolling----I will certainly be there.  What do you folks think about this??????

How about 2012 in Cleveland?(reasonable rates andfriendly town)
Brolu tautas UNITE .

Janis in Indy

Thanks Indy, Jani for the reportage!!  And I think that’s a great idea of yours--a Baltic festival!  Though it sounds like alot of DOING, getting together with our bralu tatutas.

As to the next Dziesmas Svetki, if I’m not mistaken, I think there will be one next year, 2008 in Ventura, CA???  Which sounds so very appealing to me since I haven’t met up with my Los Angelean Lat friends for oh soooo very long.  Anyone else have any more info on this?

Irena

Dziesmu svetki

One in Riga, Latvija and one in Kalifornijs ---both in 2008 and then in 2009 in Hamilton, Ontario, Kanada.
Toronto----- cost prohibitive.

Folks--contact your lettinu, litvu and esti friends and ask them to contact their north american baltic ethnic organization reprezentatives and get the ball rolling for UNITED BALTIC FESTIVAL.

We have been divided for the past 57 years----time to unite and put on a grand show.
Anyone out there that thinks the same way or am I whistling in the wind?
Vidas----you in charge of the litvas contingent.

In 2012-----let’s make Cleveland the 50,000 Balt gathering and uniting place I suggest beginning of september(Labour Day week end) when it is not as hot as July 4th and it also is a three day holiday.

Not just for north american balts only-----others welcome also.

As a choir participant and as the Dz. Sv. webmaster, I had somewhat of an inside view of things.

One of the highlights for me was Līgo’s dancing at the Jaundeju skate. The combination of movement and music was truly mesmerizing and it’s fair to say their performance brought the house down. (Not to disparage any other group--the whole show was excellent!)

Another highlight was simply running into Latvians known or known only through the web (for example, Lolita Krievs of daily-tangents.com)--and making new friends. My wife Silvija met someone who had been to every Dz. Sv. in the U.S. since the beginning! Organizationally, having everything as close as it was, and all the main functions at one place (the Marriott) with the resulting super-concentration of Latvian-ness, really gave the festival a sense of intimacy that was refreshing.

A couple of comments on the kopkora koncerts… I rather liked Rožu dārzs when we did it at our own pre-Indy concert--of course, every conductor’s interpretation is different. Unfortunately it’s sometimes difficult to follow the conductor when they are so FAR away because the choir is SO big. And the singers don’t have the luxury of getting completely acclimated to each conductor’s style.

The Brāļu kapi cantata could have used more rehearsing —unfortunately our one rehearsal was cut short when the fact that rehearsals generate sound (imagine that!) caused a problem with a meeting in the adjacent conference room (and you Latvians who complained know who you are). If we could have had one or two good rehearsals, we would have really pulled it together. As it was, I used the piano in the Marriott lobby to rehearse my part! (And if you heard someone playing “Polka Dots and Moonbeams” or an off-beat arrangement of “Tūdaliņ’ Tagadiņ’” at some point--that was me.)

Most of all, I can’t say enough about the organizing team and all the work they did to pull it all off! (And to those who rudely pontificated to the organizers about things beyond their control, or simply to be rude--and you Latvians know who you are, too, we heard you--I can only say: Kauns!) It was truly an honor to get to work with them all.

:-) Pēters

P.S. The 2008 west coast Dz. Sv. web site is:  http://www.westcoastlatviansongfest.org/

No affiliation!