The festive cycle of the Latvian Radio show “Let’s Meet, Sing, Sad” ends in the capital, meeting with the mixed choir of Riga Secondary School of Culture, dancers of the contemporary dance studio “Ritms”, as well as music and dance leaders for children with special needs who have also participated in this unusual song and in the creation of a dance festival.
The key to being on target is
For the second time, contemporary dance is represented at the School Youth Song and Dance Festival. For the bands working in this aesthetics, a big concert “Above the Earth” was planned. The e-holiday format decided this repertoire by dancing, filming it. One of the bands that is actively preparing to immortalize the performance is the dance group “Rhythm”.
You can turn anything into dance. You tell stories through your movements and emotions – this is how the modern dance genre is characterized by the students of the studio “Rhythm”.
Riga dance studio “Ritms”. “Elegy for the Arctic”7min
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Riga dance studio “Ritms”. “Hand in hand”5min
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The dancers do not shout, on the contrary – they are happy to work together and enjoy the process that is currently possible. This will be a different adventure to remember – history is being written.
The head of the studio “Ritms”, choreographer Elīna Gaitjukeviča admits that the “chaos times” have passed and the dancers are ready to participate in the filming. She continues: “However, this is some goal we are preparing for. This is very important for dancing children.
Although it will not be the kind of concert we may have wanted, it is a goal and an immediate motivation to work. ”
Participants of the dance studio “Ritms”
Photo: Private archive
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It should be noted that “Rhythm” was among the six bands that participated in the “Above the Earth” modulation concert in Jelgava even before the pandemic. In a way, the dancers had already experienced a holiday at that time – there were lights, costumes and emotions, the composition was much smaller.
If there is already a choir – it should be done
An interesting example of how to keep the spirit of the Song Festival alive is the mixed choir of the Riga Secondary School of Cultures, which under the direction of conductor Krišs Pozemkovskis created a potpourri of several songs from the festival repertoire at the end of last year. It has gained popularity on social networks.
The conductor says that the choir of Riga Secondary School of Cultures is not a new unit – it has deep roots. Despite the challenges of remote retrieval, it is still more numerous today than it used to be.
In preparation for this year’s other holiday, Pozemkowski brought to the fore the possibility of singing as such.
The singers appreciate the conductor’s performance during the remote pandemic and add that their choir has a wonderful, determined conductor who creates creative projects.
“They are responsive if they can present ideas that may seem bigger than they might be at first glance. When this spark of responsiveness appears, it takes over everyone at once,” says Krišs Pozemkovskis. Of course, you can’t do without moments of recession, but when you need to, everyone gathers and supports each other. If there is already a choir, it should be done, the singers and the conductor believe.
Riga Secondary School of Cultures mixed choir members and conductor Krišs Pozemkovskis
Photo: Private archive
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A jolt for children’s development
Since 2010, students of special schools have been gathering in a special concert in Vērmane Garden at each School Youth Song and Dance Festival and participating in the festival with their program. Together with others, the concert and festival project of Vērmane Garden has been created all this time by the leader of music groups Elga Pole-Polīte and Regīna Grebežniece, who lead the project’s dance groups. Both make no secret of the fact that both teachers and children are saddened by the absence of the big festive events. The annual tradition is the camp of participants of the Song and Dance Festival, where the acquired repertoire is strengthened in time. It is also missing this year.
Dance group leader Regīna Grebežniece and music group leader Elga Pole-Polīte
Photo: Private archive
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“The song festival movement for the development of these children is a huge push, a huge emotional catharsis.
For these children, the spirit of songs and emotional vibrancy is something very special that we can only feel, not describe and say, ” admits Elga Pole-Polite.
Until now, as Regīna Grebežniece notes, there have been not only songs and dances, but also creative workshops in Vērmane Garden. They could get ideas on how to work with special children.
The time of the home session for the students and teachers of special schools was a bit different, because it was possible to work in person – an internal Song Festival concert was organized, as well as a group song was sung. One of the soloists is the musically talented Marta Rancāne of the Light Boarding Primary School. She has really fond memories from previous holidays. It is not only making music together, but also an opportunity to meet friends.
Grebežniece explains that those children who have participated in the previous festival are sorry that this time there are none. The little singers, on the other hand, are full of zeal and determination to prepare for the next holiday.
This year, the children have received Song Festival bags, pens, badges. Teachers also received face masks with a holiday emblem.
Elga Pole-Polite, a leader of music groups, and a student
Photo: Private archive
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