About Us - VTDK Tautinių šokių ansamblis SIETUVA

SIETUVA is a youth folk dance ensemble, which was established in 1956 by several girls. The ensemble grew rapidly: during the second decade of its existence it was attended by 80 dancers. The ensemble gave around 30 concerts a year at that time. Also, a folk instrument orchestra was added. Sietuva was invited to participate in a World Youth Festival and in XX Summer Olympics in Moscow, which was a sign of recognition.

Currently Sietuva comprises of a dance ensemble and a folk instruments orchestra. The majority of its members are students of various universities based in Vilnius. The ensemble seeks to perform new dances and to revive previously performed dances by cooperating with professional choreographers. We strive to include creative works based on authentic ethnic sources in our repertoire. Our purpose is to spread folk culture to a modern audience in Lithuania and abroad with the help of folk dances and music.

Sietuva is a regular participant in Lithuanian Song Festivals and in the Baltic student song and dance festival Gaudeamus. Every year the ensemble tours abroad and gives concerts to foreign audiences. Sietuva has participated in many international festivals aroud Europe and elsewhere.

In 2003 Sietuva was awarded The Golden Bird Prize (Aukso paukšte) as the best Lithuanian folk dance ensemble of 2003. The folk instruments orchestra of Sietuva has recorded a two compact discs with pieces of music from its repertoire.

Currently Sietuva is a youth ensemble full of energy, happy to collaborate with Lithuanian and foreign artists and passionately spreading cultural diversity in the modern open world.

The word "sietuva" means confluence of lakes or rivers.

MAIN INFORMATION

Name of the group	Youth folk dance ensemble “SIETUVA”
Name of the director	Mr. Edmundas Zicka (since 2011)
Country, Town	Lithuania, Vilnius
Organization for which the group belong	Vilnius college of technologies and design
The date of founding the group	1956
Group classification (by CIOFF)	Elaborated - Stylized
Number of participants	Dancers ∼ 24, Musicians ∼ 9
Age of participants	18 – 30
Type of music instruments used in performances	Birbyne – national Lithuanian wind instrument Kankles – national Lithuanian stringed instrument Lumzdelis – national Lithuanian wind instrument Accordion, clarinet, folk bass instrument and others
Costumes	Southeast of Lithuania (the region of Dzukija). From the end of XIX century. Description: woolen, color, checked
Recent performances abroad	2017. VIII. 12-22 International folklore festival and folk art fair "Summerfest" (Százhalombatta, Ráckeve, Tököl / HUNGARY) 2016. VII. 22-28 International Youth dance festival (MACAO) 2015. VIII. 7-10 Performances in Italy (San Gregorio Magno, Lavello, Pignola, Savoia di Lucania / ITALY) 2015. IX. 16-22 Luoyang Heluo Cultural Tourism festival 2015 (Luoyang / CHINA) 2014. VI. 27-29 Student‘s Song and Dance Festival of the Baltic States "GAUDEAMUS XVII" (Daugavpils / LATVIA) 2014. IX. 5-7 FESTIVAL "Wilno w Gdansku" (Gdansk / POLAND) 2014. XII. 12-14 Performances in Christmas market in Minsk (Minsk / BELARUS) 2013 VIII 11-17 XXIX International folklore festival of Azores (Terceira / PORTUGAL) 2012 VII 7-13 48th International festival de FOLKLORE de CHATEAU GOMBERT (Marseille / FRANCE) 2011 VII 2-3 Germany, Berlin. World Culture Festival in Berlin 2010 VII 7-15 Italy, Treviso. 3rd International Sile Folk festival 2010 2009 VII 10-13 Germany, Bitburg. 45th Bitburg European Folklore Festival 2008 V 8-12 Netherlands, Sluiskil. International Folk Festival "Folk on the Schelde". 2007 VI 12-15 Germany, Erfurt. International Folk Festival “Danetzare’07” 2006 VI 30 – VII 02 Estonia, Tartu. Students Song and Dance Festival of the Baltic States GAUDEAMUS XV 2005 VI 29 – VII 03 Netherlands, Warffum. 40th International Folklore Festival “OpRoakeldais”