Criticism of the “Sunflower” format and e-festivities in general has been criticized in several municipalities. There is a feeling that technical filming is in the foreground, not an effort to make children feel festive, says TV3 Ziņas.
The e-holiday videos filmed in 42 municipalities give the impression that the groups have given extensive concerts, and the children have enjoyed it all artificially, but the reality is completely different in many places.
Dancers or choirs are instructed to hand with a car with a festive decoration on the roof. We should be happy to celebrate when the organizers of the festival who have arrived from Riga are passing by. Must answer standard phrases. Part-time lesson is dedicated to each municipality, during which the team is allowed to sing one dance and sing one song. In addition, not in full length. Then a couple of courtesy speeches, and the people of Riga leave.
“If there was a real song festival, there would be 13 songs in the repertoire. Here you can listen to one song and move on, ”says Inga Lagzdiņa, choir leader of Ķekava Secondary School.
Leaders of folk dance groups and choirs from various municipalities refused to criticize e-festivals in front of the camera due to concerns about the possible consequences, but admitted behind the scenes that some students were disappointed and bitter remained. Such feelings, for example, in Rezekne.
“It all rolled over in a very hurry, very quickly. 45 minutes, “hi, hello” and away. It is no longer a song festival, but a very poorly performing business. That money is, we have to learn it in some way, we organize something formally, we distribute millions. Did the children have any satisfaction, hardly. There was given a bag with a badge and chocolate. Money thrown in the wind and nothing more, ”Arnolds Drelings, the head of the Rezekne Education Department, is dissatisfied.
The head of Ķekava modern dance ensemble also has a feeling that the priority was to film a video, not to create a festive feeling for children. In addition, team leaders are faced with the unpleasant choice of which students to allow, those who have to stay at home so as not to exceed the gathering limit of 50 people.
“Specially, you can’t create something artificial – you can artificially create a sense of celebration. Some will, but most will not. Parents of children also do not understand what it really is. Should have been canceled last year and not pulled their tail by the tail. I don’t want to call them a song festival, ”says Ivetta Tamane, the head of Ķekava’s contemporary dance group, expressing her indignation.
Jelgava collectives, as they say in the city council, are also really disappointed: “This format was not satisfying! A song and dance festival should be like a holiday for children, not a 1-3 minute performance. There is no sense of celebration. It was in a hurry! There were groups that prepared the performance, but in the end the performance does not appear. It is a disappointment because our ability does not sound. ”-
If the budget of the traditional Song and Dance Festival is more than six million euros, less than two million euros have been allocated for the various activities of this e-festival concept. Most of all, 700,000 are for technical costs, half a million euros are earmarked for staff remuneration. So far, not even a million has been spent.
“Even a million have not left yet. This process is not already complete. What will not be spent will go back to the state budget for unforeseen events, because its costs are really minimal, ”explains Agra Bērziņa, Executive Director of the 12th Latvian School Youth Song and Dance Festival.
The Minister of Education, who is responsible for the pupils’ Song and Dance Festival, has not heard any disappointments from collectives or municipalities: “In these difficult circumstances we are in, this is the best that was possible. The team has proven that other holidays are also celebrations. ”
Some of the team leaders and the students themselves are also happy about such a concept – about meeting in person, about putting on a national costume.
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