Update #225
The third installation of the 'Nou Pois Äläud' Estonian women's weekend folkdance retreat presented by Estonian Arts Centre (EAC), the charity associated with KESKUS International Estonian Centre, took yet new turns for this pre-Tantsupidu year.
Some 70 dancers travelled from New Zealand, Holland, Estonia and throughout North America to dance all weekend at Jõekääru, Udora, Ontario. The intensity was heightened for those intent on auditioning for Tantsupidu.
Men who dance in mixed pairs groups registered for Tantsupidu 2025 (the quinquennial dance festival in Tallinn Estonia) were invited to join together with their dance partners.
Instructors Marika Järvet (instructing her 3rd NPÄ), with Ave Anslan and Külli Kund taught the women's groups and Agne Kurrikoff-Herman instructed mixed pairs. During NPÄ, it just so happened that Agne was awarded Estonia's highest honour for her contributions to Estonian folkdance on September 14th - the Ullo Toomi Stipendium! NPÄ participants celebrated this significant recognition first thing that morning, before rehearsals began::
Agne at NPÄ with mixed pairs dancers, left, and leading the charge for performers to take the stage, right:
Rehearsal after rehearsal
With 27ºC full sun every day, the water breaks were frequent during the full days of rehearsals:
New friendships were formed and old friends reconnected during the 2-day retreat culminating in a 30-minute performance. “It was a wonderful show!” said local Jõekääru resident, Eevi Novek, "the program ran smoothly, it was just a joy to watch." You can watch here:
Family reunions
Families reunited from near and far, mothers/daughters, sisters, cousins, to dance together or to come watch the performance on the final day:
Pastlad, pastlad, pastlad!
Katrin Koch-Maasing, an expert instructor with the Estonian National Museum in Tartu, Estonia, was a sea of calm as more than half the NPÄ participants each received individualized instruction on how to make pastlad, traditional Estonian footwear.
Photos: Peeter Põldre, NPÄ participants
Katrin, seated above just to the right of centre, poses with participants who proudly show off the pairs of pastlad made during an intense weekend - participants worked into the night to get their pastlad done in time!
Time to relax? How about some more dancing!?
Bobby Chong returned for a third time to teach some linedancing to those who could muster the energy.
First time NPÄ participant Annika Tork who recently moved to Toronto from Vancouver said, "I am so glad that I was able to dance with old and new friends at Tantsulaager! Fresh air, exercise, sun every day and sauna and making pastlad in the evening. It was just so fun, and I plan to come back next year for sure!"
Dancers nourished and supported
Dancers were well cared for on the nourishment side by Katrin Kütti-Otsa and her team that comprised Shannon MacDonald and Laine Nõmmik, with extra help from Mihkel Kütti, Christine Horner and Rauno Jõks.
Photos: Peeter Põldre, Katrin Kütti-Otsa
A poem of gratitude was penned by a table of participants and recited by all after each meal, to thank the kitchen team:
A heartfelt thanks goes to Ellen Valter who volunteers to organize the event, to Liisi Vanaselja Fletcher who organized the Saare Vikat group to attend from NYC, to all of the volunteer helpers on site, to Estonian Arts Centre who presents this annual retreat, and to sponsors Integratsiooni Sihtasutus, Eesti Kultuurkapital, Estonian Students Fund in USA, Estonian Foundation of Canada, Estonian American National Council, Estonian Canadian Central Council, Northern Birch Credit Union, and Estonian American National Council without whom none of this could have taken place, let alone for a third year runnning. And without the dedicated instructors, there would be no NPÄ - aitäh!
Some more photos of an exceptional weekend:
Photos: Peeter Põldre
Thank you to Matti Prima, Allan Meret and Rauno Jõks for helping serve lunch to the audience, and to their 'supervisors' on the last photo above!
Looking ahead, the next women’s dance festival is in 2027, but before that is the main Tantsupidu, in 2025.
As NPÄ participants catch their breath, they’ll make plans for the next steps to the next opportunity to dance together. Keep abreast of these plans by signing up for the KESKUS newsletter here so that you'll be sure to be the first to know the NPÄ-IV dates!
All photos by Peeter Põldre unless otherwise indicated.
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To donate, click here, call +1.647.250.7136 or email donations@estoniancentre.ca. Donations may be made as a family gift, or in honour of an individual or family. All donations are issued a tax receipt, in Canada via Estonian Arts Centre, US tax receipts via Myriad USA and Estonian tax receipts via Eesti Rahvuskultuuri Fond.
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