Children’s national dance ensemble “Kalvelis” celebrated a solid 50th anniversary

Here’s to 2024. April 28 A celebration was held in the Kaunas Cultural Center to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the children’s folk dance ensemble “Kalvelis” of the Kaunas National Cultural Center. The theatrical dance and music project “Kalvelis 50-asis pavasaris” was presented at the event, the concert program was performed by the ensemble “Kalvelis” and friendly guest groups, and the current and former leaders of the ensemble were congratulated with significant thanks.

Children’s folk dance ensemble “Kalvelis” is the longest-standing group of its kind in Kaunas, representing its city since 1974. The children’s dance ensemble came together when the “Kaunas statyba” culture and sports house was built (later – Kaunolaisvalaikios centras “Senasis trestas”). Since the beginning of its existence, “Kalveli” was led by professional choreographers and concertmasters, and the collective had over 100 members. In addition, at that time “Kalvelis” was the only non-professional children’s art collective in the country with its own musicians.

Over the course of five decades, the ensemble grew into a well-known group in Lithuania and abroad, and as it grew, it also raised many generations of young people who love national dance. In ensemble activities, the children learned not only dance, but also the cultivation of their own culture, spreading it around the world and Lithuania during republican and international festivals, trips, and Song Festivals.

In the theatrical concert “Kalvelio’s 50 pavasaris”, which crowned the fiftieth year of creative activity, the audience saw not only impeccable choreographic works, but was also invited to the mysterious ancient mythical world.

In the theatrical part that started the concert, the myth spread about the god Kalvelis, who forged the Sun for people and gave light to the world, and the earthly successors of his traditions – the blacksmiths and the little hillmen. Actor Vytautas Gasiliūnas, dancers of folk dance ensemble “Rasa”, KTKC children’s folklore ensemble “Ratilėlis” and author of graphic projections Aureja Jucevičiūtė contributed to the implementation of the mythologized spectacle.

The concert was followed by a concert program prepared by the hosts of the event – the children’s national dance ensemble “Kalvelis”. The audience saw the dances “Vyželė”, “Kac kac”, “Bătu batai”, “Linksmapolkė”. The orchestra of folk instruments supported the dancers and played the pieces “Liuksinis” and “Pempelpempel”.

Friendly children’s national dance ensembles, who have long-standing friendship with “Kalvelius”, were also guests at the concert and delighted with their most beautiful dances: “Punska” children’s folk art studio “Puniukai” (director Asta Pečiulienė), Panevėžys cultural center’s children’s and youth folk dance ensemble “Chain” ” (directed by Zita Rimkuvienė and Justas Nagrockis), the children’s dance studio “Vijurkas” of the Klaipėda Queen Luiza Youth Center (directed by Violeta Šleinienė and Laura Šleiniūnė) and the national dance ensemble “Malūnėlis” of the Mika Petrauskas Performing Arts School in Kaunas (directed by Birutė Brazdžiūtė) .

The representatives of the Kaunas city municipality came to the celebration to congratulate the children’s national dance ensemble “Kalvelis”, which is celebrating an honorable anniversary and has followed a beautiful creative path. weekly council member Gediminas Vasiliauskas and Kaunas weekly Jurgita Kveškevičienė, specialist in the education department. The representatives of the municipality thanked for the beautiful concert and presented the leaders of the ensemble – Darius Žilinskas, Marina Anančenkova, Vala Dervinienė, Gintarus Chockevičius, Gintarus Vilčiauskas and the former manager Ilona Jakštytei – with thanks from Kaunas City Mayor Visvaldas Matijošaitis and the Department of Education and a statue of a bull.

Vaida Kasparavičienė, the director of the Kaunas National Culture Center, also gave a speech of welcome, who emphasized the importance of national dances, expressed her gratitude and pride in “Kalveli”, and thanked the national dance groups that were guests at the concert.

The concert ended with the dance “Kalvelis”, which once gave the ensemble its name, and the wish “Live, live the longest years” sung together by everyone.

After such a warm, fellowship-filled concert, it remains to say – this is where the national dance and the beauty of our nation’s customs spread, this is where “Kalvelis” will live for many years to come!