Virtual Culture Tour - Latvia

Latvian Nationwide Song and Dance Celebration

Once every five years, a small nation of 2 million people living by the Baltic Sea in Northern Europe becomes the largest choir in the world. The Latvian Song and Dance Celebration have been our bonding ritual since 1873, a way to celebrate our identity and dignity. UNESCO has recognized this phenomenon as a masterpiece of humanity. Every five years at the beginning of July, the entire city of Rīga, the capital of Latvia, becomes a buzzing stage for choir singers and folk dancers, folklore musicians, masters of folk crafts and amateur theatre troupes, young and old, dressed in folk costumes, living the tradition.

The Song and Dance Celebration are all about Latvian traditions; therefore, wearing a folk costume creates the right atmosphere. We dress up to look and feel festive and unique.

Most festival events take place outdoors, allowing us to be in touch with nature. Never mind the rain, wind, or heat – we keep singing, dancing, and enjoying ourselves regardless of the weather.

When it comes to content, songs hail the beauty of nature, relationships between people, our traditional values and virtues, and anything related to human life. We also sing about our past sufferings, probably as a way of getting over our collective traumas. After all, most of our history has been a constant struggle for our right to exist.

One of the most loved songs is Saule, Pērkons. Daugava (Sun, Thunder. Daugava) A story about a people (Latvians) living by the sea, in a green land. Despite foreign invasions and other historical hardship, they are under the protection of its gods and forces of nature – the Sun as the giver of life, the Thunder, which fights off all evil, and the River Daugava carrying the waters of life and death.                                                        

Facts:

• 43 290 participants – 16 500 singers from 427 choirs – 18 174 dancers from 739 dance groups.

• The Closing concert, Zvaigžņu ceļā (Following the Starry Path): 12,000 singers, 38 choir songs, 3 hours, supervised by 13 Principal Conductors and eight Honorary Principal Conductors.