ESTONIA

Folklore group ILOLATSE JA EMAD

Artistic director Helve Hrabrova

Folklore group “Ilolatse ja emad” (“Cheerful children and mothers”) is a group of children and adults from the southern part of Estonia, Viljandi town.  During 30 years of the group’s activity the composition of the group has many times changed, but the aims and principles have been kept the same as in the beginning. The main idea of the group is to learn and introduce the audience with old customs, traditions, language and handicrafts of Estonia. The group’s performances mainly consist of folklore songs, song-plays and dances (accompanied by concertina and 6-string harp).

Children of the group learn the dialect of the region (mugli), so they try to perform folksongs and plays in this dialect.

During these years folk group “Ilolatse and mothers“ has many times performed in Estonia. The most remarkable performances were at folklore festivals “Viljandimaa virred” and “Baltica“. Children have twice taken part in a folklore festival in Hungary. Adults of the group also perform with the folk group “Kuremari“ (“Cranberry“). Together they have participated at festivals in Latvia, Turkey and Germany.

Such crafts as crochet, weaving on looms, knitting and embroidery will be presented at the festival by Maie Teng.