Category: #ejkw2016

Villanders folk dance group was founded in 1968 around the village of Villanders from young people who feel joy for dance and music. The purpose of the group was caring on the folk dance, folk music and traditions. Over the years, the group has grown to a larger ensemble and is an important part of the community.

The folk dance group was present at several regional events, as well as numerous international events. The ensemble is a founding member of the festival “European Youth and Culture Week ” and it has successfully organized it in 2006.

Since 2006, the activities of the Villanders folk dance group were les due to lack of participants / members. Since autumn 2010, about 30 members attend regular the weekly rehearsals, the average age of members is 25 years.

About 1000 years before Christ a group of Celtic people travelled westward through Europe.  They  set out for Ireland, led by their chief Milesius and his eight sons. Their followers were called the Milesians or Clanna Mileadha.  Many died  in a great storm but amongst the survivors who reached Ireland were five sons of Milesius.  They settled and conquered the country.

Now 3000 years later descendants of the Milesians are retracing the steps of their ancient ancestors in a friendly visit, bringing their music, dances and song.

Dances Postiguet is a group formed of more than 36 people which started in 1977. Most of them, in their 36s, are founders of this ambitious project that pretends to maintain the culture and folklore of Alicante.

Postiguet group is very interested in popular music, dances and the investigation of typical elements of our culture as the gown of 18^th century and instruments. We pretend to keep the essence of the ancient music and our heritage from our forbears.

Danzas Postiguet has organized and participated in more than 600 national and international festivals and expositions, including Alicante and its province.

The members of the group are people from all ages with the common interest and love for traditional dances and music. The group consists of 14 musicians, 3 singer an 9 pair of dancers and has made in total already more than 600 performances in the 30 years of is existence.

They present typical dances from the local provinces like jotas, fandangos and boleros. A specialty – they present their dances on various performances with different traditional costumes from the 18.th to the 20.th century.
The group has taken part in several festivals in Spain and in foreign countries. The Postiguet group has performed three times in Riga, as Alicante and Riga are twin towns.

In 1988 Postiguet started to participate in the European Youth and Culture Week and went on to host the festival in 1994 and 2012.

The group has also established an academy for children.

They can begin to dance at the age of four years and then advance to perform dance with the adult group. In 1993 the dance group won the national and regional prize for non-profit-organisations

Moreover we have produced a CD called “Castellito de Alicante” with 45 unforgettable songs

The Leőwey dance group was founded in 1973 by the students of the German minority classes of the Klara Leőwey Gymnasium. The members are of Hungarian-German origin and this determines the profile of our ensemble. Our most important goal is to preserve the German folk dance, the folk songs, the folkway and the traditional costumes. We want to present a rich programme to our public, so in our repertoire there are also Hungarian folk dances.

The group is a permanent participant at folk dance festivals on a local level and around the world, as well as every other year at the Helikon Festival.

During the 40 years of existence, the folk dance group has become one of the renowned representatives of the Hungarian-German folklore.

As an acknowledgement of this result, the ensemble has been awarded the Gold level, the first place, and the “Quality Prize” several times.

At the country gathering of the folk dance groups in 1998 and 2004 it has been awarded with “Honours”.

Artistic director, choreographer: Helmut Heil

The Cultural association of Sardinian folklore “San Gemiliano” was founded in 1964 with the aim of keeping aspects, peculiarities and traditional values of Sardinia alive, in general and particularly of Sestu.

The activity of the group is controlled by its own statue which provides the following bodies: The General assembly of the Members, The Board of directors, The Chairman of the Board of Directors, The Boards of  Probiviri and The Board of Auditors.

Performances are mainly based on popular songs and dances of Sardinia. Among the dances of the island stand out those of Campidano origin as “su ball’e’ogai”(the dance of courtship) and “sa sciampitta” (a ritual dance), both enriched by the magic sound of the launeddas (a musical instrument of a nuragic origin dated from VIII VII centuries B.C.)

San Gemiliano dance group will be in Timisoara for the 16^th  of the European week of youth and culture (31. July – 06 August 2016). Follow them on their facebook page, click here.

Folk dance group VETRA (the name means “storm”) has been established in the year 1986. The founder and the leader of the group is Vilius Sleinius. The leader of the folk music band – Gintautas Bareikis.

In the group VETRA dance people of various professions, people who grew fond of the folk dance, music, songs, people who enshrine and uphold Lithuanian national traditions. Dancers wear Klaipeda region national clothes. There are various kinds of dances, beginning with the gvil’s and ending in cheerful couple dance’s compositions.

The ensemble VETRA is the laureate of the national folk dance competitions: in the year 1997, 2005 and 2009 – “Pora už poros” (“A couple of pairs”), in 2000, 2002 and 2010 – “Iš aplinkui” (“From around”), in 2013 – “Klumpyne” (the name of the festival-competition means a lot of Lithuanian national wooden shoes and the prize is a very big such shoe – klumpe). In 2000 VETRA has been ranked the best among the amateur groups and awarded the nomination called THE GOLDEN BIRD.

The ensemble gives many concerts in its native town Klaipeda, as well as in its country Lithuania. It is a participant of all latter years’ national song and dance fests. VETRA travels very much, and since the year 1995 it has present his national arts time and again in various European festivals, as in Russia, Germany, Hungary, France, the Netherlands, the South Tyrol (Italy), Slovakia, Latvia, Ireland, Spain, Romania, Greece, Denmark, Estonia, Sardinia (Italy).

In 2009 the group VETRA took part in the Millennium Song and Dance Celebration of Lithuania. In 2011 the ensemble has presented Lithuanian dances in the 48th Europeade in Tartu (Estonia).

VETRA takes part in European youth and culture weeks since the 6^th event held in Hungary in 1996. In summer 2008 VETRA became a host of the 12^th European youth and culture week, which took place in Klaipeda town and Klaipeda region.

VETRA will be in Timisoara for the 16^th  of the European week of youth and culture (31. July – 06 August 2016). You can follow this dance group on their facebook page, click here.

Mr. François Heitzmann creates in 1963 the « Accordion-Club of Biesheim » and called it « Rhénania 63 ».

1972 the « music-school » take shape. On his 10^th anniversary « Rhénania 63 » extends his activity by adding a section « Folk-Dance ». For their 20^th anniversary they join the folklore group « Alliance » of Biesheim, so is founded the « Rhénania Alliance ».

In 1998 on the occasion of their 25^th anniversary they organize for the second time the « European week of youth and culture ».

On the 30^th anniversary, Rhénania-Alliance with his new flag seals definitively the fusion of both groups.

Present on many occasions on various local, regional or international events the association under the leadership of Mme. Claudine Lenner, tends to prove to be over the frontiers a real link between folks, friendships are sealed in spike of the different culture, tradition or music characters, which is the main aim followed over years with success by the association.

You can follow this dance group on their facebook page – click here. Rhénania-Alliance will be in Timisoara for the 16^th  of the European week of youth and culture (31. July – 06 August 2016)