Programme of the 61st European Youth Week

“Ever since its founding in 1968, Folklore Ensemble Gelmel has been one of the most celebrated groups of the Belgian folkloric scene. The group has its home in Schoten, a town between the city of Antwerp and the more rural region ‘Kempen’. This mix of urban and rural influences are very recognizable throughout their performances. All the dances and music from Folklore Ensemble Gelmel have been created by their own artistic leaders. Combined with the youthful enthusiasm of the dancers, it is no wonder the ensemble has been praised in Belgium and abroad for their originality and quality. In recent years, the group has performed on festivals in Germany, Spain, Hungary and even China. Six years ago the group was already a guest on the Triangle Festival. In its dances, Folklore Ensemble Gelmel tries to recreate the life in Flanders in the beginning of the 20th century. Dance, music, singing, theater and a touch of humor all come together in their performances. In 2014 the ensemble created a new show in remembrance of the start of World War I. Over the next few years the artistic leaders will focus their creativity around this theme. A big performance on 11th of November 2018 will be the climax of this 4-year plan, celebrating the 100th anniversary of the end of the war as well as the ensembles 50th anniversary. Also off-stage Folklore Ensemble Gelmel shows its versatility. In parades, spectators can admire the beautiful costumes, completely handmade to century-old designs. And with all the attributes they bring, the audience does not know where to look first. The flagwavers often draw cheers from the crowd with their spectacular moves. For more information about Folklore Ensemble Gelmel, you can visit their website www.gelmel.be or their facebook page ‘Gelmel Schoten’.”
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Folklore-Ensemble-Gelmel-Schoten-567239716997740//
YouTube: In the video below is one of our performances themed ‘The great war’. This all was made by our artistic leaders (both dance as music)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JipN6_WaeO4

“The history of Solin’s” Salona “cultural-art society goes back exactly six decades, more specifically to the year 1943, when the mixed choir” Udarnik “was founded in Solin under the direction of the noble priest of Frua.
After the end of the Second World War (1945) took over the artistic direction of the choir. Vinko Lesić and the folklore section under the direction of Velimir Dadic and under the musical accompaniment of Kaja Žižić joined the mixed choir in 1953. After the first appearance in Voljak in July 1953, folklorists began their first tour of Slovenia (Bled, Kranj, Celje, Jesenice …).
After frequent abstinence in the work that followed in the mid-sixties, in 1974 the company began again under the name RKUD “Dalmacijacement – Udarnik” Solin, and around them are all cultural and artistic areas (Limena Glazba, folklore ensemble, men and Women) gathers female klapa, mandolin orchestra …). At that time, the company had a strong financial background with all the major music and folklore experts of the time (Prof. Branko Šegović, Marinko Katunarić, Ljubo Stipišić, Rajmir Kraljevic, M. Duško Tambača, Daniel Šeparović et al.).
In these years, numerous foreign performances were realized; Scandinavia (Denmark, Sweden, Norway), Portugal, Italy, Morocco (as state representative for the Mediterranean Games in Casablanca 1983) and numerous performances in the country. At that time, the society also organized the well-known Solin Summer Festival in Solin Gradina, which turned from a neglected archaeological site into a great summer stage with the merits and contributions of the company and its members.
In his folklore repertoire Salon there are dance choreographies of the Dalmatian coast and Zagor, Slavonia as well as dance customs of the Croats of Bunjevac and Banana Croats. The choreographies are signed by Prof. Branko Šegović and Prof. Ivan Ivančan. Artistic director of the folklore ensemble is Nebojsa Boban. Within the company there is also a mixed klapa performing melodies of predominantly Dalmatian melosa in arrangements of Vilibalda Pečenik.
From a retrospective after more than sixty years of work, we can rightly conclude that Salona is a very affluent society through which several hundred Solomon’s cultural amateurs have gone through the last few years, which together with other solemn cultural and artistic societies form the backbone of Solin’s cultural and musical To make life. Quality is at the top of the Croatian amateur folklore scene.
As a result of the whole year 2004 “Salona” was awarded with the City of Solin Collective Award in recognition of its more than successful activity in the promotion of the musical and habitual culture of our city and our homeland in the world.
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In 1993, the Society changed its name to KUD “SALONA” and, after several years of break, realized the major foreign performances – Italy, Slovenia, Poland (1994 and 2004), Brazil and Bulgaria.
“Salona” is active in several sections today; Folklore ensemble, preparatory children’s group, mixed klapa and mandolin tambura orchestra, all one hundred members and one of the largest cultural societies in Solin.
It is important to consider the role of our society in the ethnographic sense. For Salona has more than a hundred costumes from all parts of our homeland, some of which have been around for more than a century.
KUD SALONA ”
Facebook: “https://www.facebook.com/kud.Salona/”
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qeed-uK44yk

Over three and a half decades ago, a modest Irish dance school was born in a church basement in Chicago. Today, it is the most widely recognized Irish dance program in the world. The Trinity Irish Dancers have appeared in multiple television shows and several Hollywood films, showing their versatility as performers. For over two decades, Trinity has been inspiring and captivating audiences through multiple mediums.
The dancers also participate in competitions, ranging from local to international. Trinity has won more world titles than any other North American school, and our most recent World Championship title was won in 2017 in Dublin, Ireland.
Trinity Ensemble is Trinity Academy’s teen pre-professional performing arts troupe. From leading Academy performances to performing around the world at international festivals, these dancers act as culturally, artistic ambassadors, bringing Trinity’s mission to “elevate children, the community and the world through the power and grace of Irish dance to life.
Trinity Ensemble is the only Irish dance performing arts training program in existence. In perfect balance with competitive solo dancing and team dancing, Trinity Ensemble develops dancers as performing artists, providing immersive dance education opportunities all while offering extensive leadership and character building experiences.
Pushing boundaries, preserving integrity, supporting an art form. We are Trinity Ensemble.
Why Trinity Irish Dance?
Since 1982, Trinity has brought the art of Irish dance to Chicago, Milwaukee, Madison, and their surrounding suburbs. We offer award-winning, affordable Irish dance classes taught by patient and experienced instructors. Trinity provides an energetic classroom environment that helps children develop a love of Irish dance, increases coordination, builds friendships and drives the self-confidence to perform in front of an audience! It is our balanced approach to solo dancing, performance dancing, and team dancing that leads us to our greatest successes on and off the dance floor. The opportunities here are unmatched in any other Irish dance program in the world.
Homepage: http://www.trinityirishdance.com/see-us/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JuF-Fi4_gjI
–>Ensemble Media Photos

“The Ludwigsteiner” are the dance and music group of the hosts. The dancers come from different regions of Germany and the Netherlands, which is why they can only meet for rehearsals on a few weekends. For the 60th anniversary of the Euro Week, the dance group has put together a program with highlights from the last 25 years. The dancers are accompanied by a five-member music group.
The “Hessische Volkstanzfreunde” is a loose group, which is made up of dancers and musicians from all over Hessen and has a lot of fun in dancing and playing music. Most of them are also involved in their regional groups. Since they are also interested in getting to know other people from other countries quite unconventionally, they agreed last year to spontaneously close a cooperation for the year 2019. Dance together, perform together and give each other support. Maybe also experience folklore differently?”
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/viva.europa/

The Folkloric Company called the “Quadrille Occitan” was created in 1973 by a group of early dancers, fervent lovers of folk dance and “Occitan” tradition. After a few local, then regional performances, the group rapidly became known and appreciated.
During the summer holidays 1974, the troupe was invited to the Marburg-Biedenkopf International Festival in West Germany where it got a real success. The first contacts with other groups from neigh-bowing country where thus facilitated. Owing to a thorough work, we were able to improve our stage performance, our costumes, but also the choreography and music of our show.
On tour, the troupe is composed of eight couples of dancers, three to four accordionists, and one clarinettist. The members of the group are amateurs from different social, cultural, political and religious backgrounds.
Our performance, which is one and half hours long, has been well appreciated from the Black Sea to Saint-Laurent in Canada, as well as in the Mediterranean and English speaking countries.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/quadrilleoccitan/

The vocal-choreografic ensemble “Valachobniki” was created in 1979 and has united the students of the Belarusian Folk Songs Chair of the Belarusian State University of Culture and Arts. It consists of 30 musicians, singers and dancers. The members of the group are always in the search of new perspectives. Annually they arrange folklor expeditions in which they collect the samples of the traditional music. The best examples of the Belarusian folkor regularly enrich the repertoire of the ensemble. The concert programs of the group are full of verity and vividity. They consist of masterpieces of different genres and style trends. The Folklor heritage of the Belarusians and other Slavic Peoples are represented in the repertoire of the ensemble in ethnografical and stylized sounding. Regularly the group shows its concert programmes in the Republic of Belarus. For many times it went on tour in Russia, France, USA, Spain. The group became laureate and prize winner of different international festivals and competitions in Estonia, Poland, Bulgaria, Hungary, Italy, Netherlands and Belgium.
Information about the University:
The Belarusian State University of Culture and Arts was set up on the basis of Minsk University of Culture which started its activity in 1975. Specialties, which are at the Belarusian State University of Culture and Arts – “Culturology”, “Literary work”, “Social work”, “Directing holidays”, “Social pedagogy”, “Social and cultural activities”, “Folk art”, “Conducting”, “Haragrafichnae art”, “Рop art”, “Singing”, “Library science and bibliography”, “Museum business and protection of historical and cultural heritage”, “Art criticism”, “Decorative and applied arts” “Wind instruments”.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Valachobniki/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCEOwnmIktaqPQ1bNpYxDbig

Everything started with a girl’s choir:
In 1987, the Girls’ Choir of Koscierzyna, Poland, participated for the first time in the European Youth Week. The contact intensified and friendships did not stop at the then existing border with the eastern block! In 1991, Koscierzyna again participated in this formation at the Euroweek. Later on, the dancers and musicians of “Kaszubskie Nuty” got involved in the Euro weeks in 2001 and 2006. In addition to mutual private visits among the respective members, the “Ludwigsteiner” followed an invitation to Koscierzyna in 2011. Since then, members of the Polish group have been active in the “Arbeitskreis”, the organisation behind the festival .

Edinburgh University New Scotland Country Dance Society (Edinburgh, Scotland)
The Edinburgh University New Scotland Country Dance Society, often called “New Scotland”, was established in 1947 and since then has become one of the oldest still existing university dance groups in Scotland. What once started with traditional Scottish music and dances developed to a group with a diverse repertoire over time, adopting its dances also to the music of “Harry Potter” or “Doctor Who”. Over decades, “New Scotland” participated in many international dance festivals, including the recent Pikkeling Festival in Aalst, Belgium, in 2016, and the Dunedin Festival in Edinburgh in 2017.
In 1996, “New Scotland” climbed the castle hill for the first time with its pipers and Highland dancers in their Kilts to take part in the 40. European Youth Week and captured the hearts of the audience and the members of the Arbeitskreis. “New Scotland” was infected quickly with the so called “Euroweekvirus”, which is why it returned two years later and then again for the 50. Euroweek. In 1999, the „Ludwigsteiner“ accepted an invitation to Edinburgh. To this very day, we are still linked with this group.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/eunscds/

Firstly, the Tallinn University folk dance group “Soveldaja” is a group of young people mostly aged between 18-25 who are looking forward to different kind of folk festivals to show and to see the variety of folk world. The group performs both folklore and author dances. Depending on the occasion they dance to live music but also use recordings of traditional and contemporary folk music.
Secondly, the group has taken part in several international folklore festivals over the years. The latest ones have been Festival Internacional de Folclore ‘Celestino Graca’ in Portugal 2015, Fétes de la Vigne de Dijon in August 2016 and OD CELJA DO ZALCA in Slovenia in September 2016, Festival Mondiale del Folklore in Italy in 2017. In years 2013, 2015 and 2016 Soveldaja participated in Vöru Folklore Festival in Estonia. Soveldaja has regularly taken part in big folk dance events in Estonia and neighbouring countries.
Besides events described, Soveldaja has participated in competitions for staged folk dance and won several awards. In Dijon they were also awarded as public favourite group.
Facebook: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/soveldaja
Homepage: TLÜ rahvatantsuansamble SOLVEDAJA

The Ludwigsteiner are the dance and music group of the hosts. The dancers come from various regions of Germany and the Netherlands, which is why they can meet only a few weekends a year to rehurstle. For the 60th anniversary of the Euro Week, The Ludwigsteiner has put together a program with highlights from the last 25 years. The dancers are accompanied by a five-member music group.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/viva.europa/
Homepage: Die Ludwigsteiner