Dance folklore group
Dandari
In Ethnographical Open-air museum, Riga
Name: Dandari
meaning: a boorish man, also - a refrain with unknown meaning of an old roundelay
recommended transcription in English: Dandari
approximate pronunciation in English: Dandari
Listen pronunciation in AU format (13 Kb)
Created: 14 November 1980
Location: Riga
Leader: Ilmārs Pumpurs, Dace Circene
Number of participants: 19, of them by age:
from 14 to 24 years: 12
from 25 to 44 years: 7
and by gender:
males: 8
males: 11
Forms of activity: sing, play music, dance, play roundelays
Musical insruments:
violins,
zither,
double-bass,
bagpipe,
drum.
Symbolism:
The logotype of Dandari.
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Description:
Folklore dance group Dandari of the University of Latvia unites those
who are interested in folklore, especially, folk-dances.
Group was founded in 1980 by Ernests Spīčs, well known
ethno-choreologist, who was the first to prove that folk dances are still
interesting and thrilling to spectators and dancers nowadays. The founder
of the group engaged the participants of Dandari into collecting of
folklore. The collected materials are an important part in the repertoire
of the group.
The repertoire of Dandari consists of dances from different regions of
Latvia, folklore games, and new-made choreographies based on ancient
material, starting from habitual social life traditions and seasonal
performances till modern folklore theatre show and special programmes
made to present Latvian culture.
The dance and folklore group Dandari studies also singing, spoken
folklore and traditions. Many details of their ethnographic costumes are
self-made. The musicians of Dandari successfully do their performances
in the original way of playing - using ancient musical instruments and
imitating the manner of playing used by early folk musicians.
Dandari has taken part in many festivals in Latvia: Baltica,
Gaudeamus, Sudmaliņas, PEPT.
They have presented Latvian traditions in Georgia, Poland, Russia
(Siberia), Germany, Norway, Sweden, USA, Spain and France; and
neighbouring countries - Lithuania and Estonia.
Dandari has participated in the festival of Folk Life organized by
Smithsonian Institute in Washington, USA, in EXPO 2000 in Hannover,
Germany, as well as in the activities organized by Latvian embassies.
Sound sample: Rucavietis (Rutsavan) or Krustdeja (Crossdance) (2000)
Full song in MP3 format (654 Kb)
Winter 2003
Address:
in Latvian:
Ilmārs Pumpurs, Ļermontova 3-3, Rīga, LV-1002, Latvija
in English:
Ilmars Pumpurs, Lermontova 3-3, Riga, LV-1002, Latvia
Phone: (+371) 7617643, 9138299
E-mail: dandari_N@N_inbox.lv
Home page: http://dandari.folklora.lt/
Date of presenting the information: 9 January 2004
