Pillerkaar dancing Jooksupolka.
Pillerkaar, Estonian Folk Dancers of the Washington, DC Metro Area, danced at the Baltic Centennial Midsummer Celebration in Dupont Circle in the heart of Washington, DC on Saturday, June 23, 2018.
The event was organized jointly by the Baltic embassies, and there were songs and dances from the Estonians, Latvians, and Lithuanians. The Estonians had dancers performing old favorites like Kungla polka, Jooksupolka, Kalamies, Külavalss, Vanaviisi valss, Raksi Jaak, and the traditional Tuljak as the finale.
Especially intriguing were the oak wreaths made by the Lithuanians to be worn on the longest day of the year! There were tables set up with crayons so that kids could color in the traditional national dress of each of the countries. There were also colorful cutouts with national dress from each country for standing behind and taking pictures. Games, drinks, chocolates, and a plethora of educational information on all of the three Baltic States provided amusement for the crowd of over 200 to celebrate the event.
See pictures and videos on Facebook: Pillerkaar Washington DC. Pillerkaar’s next performance will be on Freedom Plaza in Washington, DC on August 18th at the Around the World Cultural Food Festival. Pillerkaar will also return to ScanFest in Budd Lake, New Jersey on September 2, 2018.
Text and photo by
Anu Oinas
