Young people from Aizkraukle came together for the first rehearsal 15th december 1988. Only two years later (summer 1990) they got rights to participate in Latvian song and dance Festival which is the most popular Latvian tradition where participate only the best dance groups from whole Latvia. From that time folk dance group "PEDA" ("the foot") takes part in all further Latvian song and dance festivals and also participates in all regional and international folk dance festivals in Latvia. Since the beginning in 1995 youth dance group "Peda" is one of the organizers of internetional folk dance festival ”Sudmalinas”.

 

First time group went on a tour august 1990 to Siberia. The group gave performances in the places where the deportated (in 1941, 1949) Latvians were settled on the banks of river the Yenisei, from Krasnoyarsk as far as the Arctic Ocean. The group also participated in several international festivals in Hungary, Lithuania, Israel, Slovakia, Croatia, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal, Poland and Nepal.

 

Repertoire of the group includes Latvian original dances. Una Stakle is an art–adviser and choreograph of the group since fundation. Youth dance group participates in ethnographical programms, and also in modern dance performances in cooperation with other dance groups from Aizkraukle region.

 

All participants in dance group are in the age from 16 to 30 years and they bring together joy of dancing and love to latvian folk traditions.

 

Music for dance group will be provided by folk music group of Imants Baumanis. Musicians are playing violins, accordion, drum and Latvian folk music instrument – kokle.

International festivals where folk dance group "Peda" (Latvia) has participated

 


Festivals


Nepal
   

2006 March
   

3rd Folk Festival Nepal KATHMANDU



   

Hungary
   

2005 September
   

International Festival "Halasi Szüret" KISKUNHALAS



   

Poland
   

2005 July
   

International Festival Folkloru "Dni Kultury Kaszubskiej"

BRUSY, SOPOT



   

Portugal (Madeira)
   

2004 September
   

Semana Europea de Folclore. FUNCHAL



   

Portugal (Madeira)
   

2004 September
   

7th Festival Internacional de Folclore PONTA DO SOL



   

Lithuania
   

2004 June
   

Joniu – 2004 JONAVA



   

The Netherlands
   

2002 June
   

37. International Folk Festival OpRoakeldais. WARFFUM




   

Lithuania
   

2001 June
   

Joniu – 2001 JONAVA




   

Italy
   

2000 September
   

Winner ALBO d'ORO

3. International Festival. FIVIZZANO




   

Croatia
   

1998 October
   

Susred Naroda i Kultura. ZAGREB, DALMACIA




   

Hungary
   

1998 August
   

"Zemplen" International Folk Festival SATORALJAUJHELY




   

Slovakia
   

1997 March
   

Cathering of Peoples and Cultures RASLAVICE, BARDEJOV





   

Hungary
   

1997 September
   

International Festival "Halasi Szüret" KISKUNHALAS




   

Hungary
   

1996 August
   

27. International Festival. DEBRECEN




   

Hungary
   

1995 September
   

International Festival "Halasi Szüret" KISKUNHALAS




   

Israel
   

1994 June
   

International Cathering. ASCHRAT, KFARVRADIM




   

Hungary
   

1991 August
   

"Zemplen" International Folk Festival SATORALJAUJHELY




   

Russia
   

1990 August
   

Tour in Siberia. KRASNOJARSK, DIVNOGORSK, YENISEYSK, NORILSK, DIKSON

 

Vilis Stakle

Manager of Aizkraukle culture centre

Kalna street 20

Aizkraukle LV-5102

Latvia

Telephone: (+371) 5128204

Fax: (+371) 5128098