The intensive 32+ hours' curriculum prepared instructors for the upcoming Tantsupidu 2028: “Olemise viis”, which will combine both youth and general dance festivals for the first time. Over 16,000–17,000 dancers are expected to perform at Kalevi staadion! Estonians abroad will form a dedicated division led by Mari-Liis Kivioja, who resides in Luxembourg.
Over 600 instructors in Estonia are also being taught, so that more than 25,000 dancers in Estonia will be ready to submit their competency videos to vie for those 16,000 stadium spots in 2028. Diaspora dance groups have a similar journey to undertake, and this path kicked off with this course.
With rigorous 12-hour days, instructors tackled core movements with Kadri Tiis, training classes with David Truusa and Agne Kurrikoff-Herman, heritage dance with Mall Paulus, notation analysis with Karin Soosalu, repertoire selection with Kristiina Siig, and folk costume essentials with Lembe Maria Sihvre.
Every evening, participants audited local Tallinn rehearsals. Observing local rahvatants group practices provided valuable perspective for diaspora teachers. With group members navigating vast travel distances just to get to rehearsal in participating instructors' home countries. the structure of the weekly rehearsal received an intense review in the minds of every instructor.
And if intense days weren't enough, on the Wednesday evening, the group joined regulars at Tantsuklubi (Dance Club) at Hopneri Maja in Tallinn's old town for several fun hours of social dances.
The final session was 6 hours of sage advice on what to wear (and what NOT to wear) as part of rahvarõivad (folk costume) at Tantsupidu, with Lembe Maria Sihvre, and all got to try their hand at making sock garters.
This vital training ensures diaspora dancers worldwide, in 2028, arrive at Kalevi staadion ready to unite in step – mark your calendars already for June 30-July 2 2028 Tantsupidu, July 2 for the Folk Music Festival, and July 7-9 for Laulupidu! Tickets go on sale in January 2028.
All diaspora instructors agreed: an invaluable four days had passed – connections deepened and skills acquired. Let's do this again very soon! Thank you to David Truusa, Kadri Tiis, Agne Kurrikoff-Herman, Mari-Liis Kivioja for leading the charge! Read more and see more pictures from this rahvatants intensive on the KESKUS blog, estoniancentre.ca/news-events!
