The 4th Lithuanian Schoolchildren’s Folk Dance Group Festival "In the Embrace of Childhood" Resonates in Šiauliai

On the evening of June 1, 2025, the stage at Šiauliai's Central Park became a celebration of dance as it hosted the 4th Lithuanian Schoolchildren’s Folk Dance Group Festival "In the Embrace of Childhood." Fifty groups with over 1,600 children and young people from all over Lithuania gathered in the Sun City. The participants presented 25 choreographic compositions to the audience, and UAB "Rūta žalioji" showcased a collection of national costumes from all Lithuanian ethnographic regions. During the festival, folk dance became a connecting bridge between regions and generations, allowing everyone to feel like part of one nation – dancing, creating, and loving their homeland.
Organizers: Šiauliai Culture Center, Lithuanian National Culture Center, and M. K. Čiurlionis National Art School. Partners: Lithuanian Choreographers Association, UAB "Rūta žalioji." The event was funded by the Šiauliai City Municipality.

The Lithuanian Schoolchildren’s Folk Dance Group Festival "In the Embrace of Childhood" was an extraordinary event that left no one indifferent. Rehearsals, which began the day before the event, continued into the morning of June 1. By evening, crowds of people, both participants and spectators, flooded the largest stage in the region, located at Šiauliai's Central Park. The festival was adorned with moving graphic visuals specially created for the event, which enhanced the visual impression and thematic atmosphere conveyed through nine LED strips.

The mayor of Šiauliai, who attended the event, expressed that this festival was extraordinary, as it nurtures the younger generation’s understanding of national identity not theoretically, but in a living way – through dance, clothing, and community. According to the mayor, this gives Šiauliai city a unique vibrancy and meaning.

“As the mayor, I am very happy that this festival is taking place in Šiauliai. I bow to every father, every mother, and everyone who brings their children to learn folk dance, as this is meaningful activity. I congratulate all the dancers – you are an incredibly important part of Lithuania,” said Artūras Visockas.

Deimantė Bačiulė, director of the Šiauliai Culture Center, who participated in the ceremonial event, called on everyone to celebrate traditions and, through them, life. “Today, we stand on the bridge of community, faith, hope, shared dreams, and childhood. Soon, before your eyes, a colorful, wonderful dance tapestry will unfold – it will be something unforgettable. The sun warms, bridges connect, and the meaning of these words will be reflected in this event, which we have all created together,” said D. Bačiulė.

The event was divided into sections: the festival began with a prologue, followed by parts I–V and the final. In each part, dancers from all over Lithuania, from first graders to twelfth graders, demonstrated breathtaking performances that reflected the world of children, game motifs, seasons, and the customs of our land. The festival program revealed the uniqueness of all ethnographic regions – from the light of Aukštaitija to the earth tones of Žemaitija, from the reserved grandeur of Suvalkija to the singing tenderness of Dzūkija, from the elegance of Small Lithuania to the modern world of childhood. The audience also had the opportunity to see part of the 2026 Lithuanian Schoolchildren’s Song Festival Dance Day "Ratu ratu" repertoire for the first time.

The organizers were pleased that UAB "Rūta žalioji" presented the newest national costume collection at the festival. The 16-year-old brand showed Šiauliai residents and guests how a living love for Lithuanian traditions inspires the creation of modern yet deeply rooted costumes reflecting national identity. Each piece in the collection demonstrated the continuity of ancestral crafts, the warmth of handmade items, and the modern person’s desire to find beauty with meaning. A total of 30 national costumes from all Lithuanian ethnographic regions were presented.

At the end of the festival, Deimantė Bačiulė, the director of the Šiauliai Culture Center, ceremoniously passed the festival flag to the Mažeikiai District Municipality, as the 5th, anniversary festival will be held there in 2026.

This year, the festival’s creative team included a whole group of passionate individuals: festival director Deimantė Bačiulė, artistic director and chief ballet mistress Indrė Šerpytienė, artistic director's assistants Evaldas Račkauskas and Greta Šveikauskaitė, scriptwriter Jovita Lubienė, festival coordinator Aušra Brijūnienė, visual artists Irmantas Myniotas, chief ballet masters: Evaldas Račkauskas, Sonata Jankienė, Rimutė Zaleckaitė, Danguolė Dapšytė, Jolanta Tendienė, ballet masters: Greta Šveikauskaitė, Ramunė Zelbienė, Olga Gross, Eglė Vitkauskienė. This is a team of talented people who, thanks to their work, make the festival not just an event, but an artistic occurrence with deep ethnocultural content.

The organizers hope that the experiences from the "In the Embrace of Childhood" festival will inspire young dancers to love their culture even more, encourage community between different regions of Lithuania, and become a beautiful tradition that returns each year to a different part of Lithuania, carrying with it the joy of childhood, the rhythm of dance, and a sense of national identity.

Information provided by Aušra Brijūnienė, Head of the Amateurs Arts Department of the Šiauliai Culture Center, mob. +370 655 25 527, email ausra.brijuniene@siauliukc.lt.

Photo by Rolandas Parafinavičius.