Sunny skies and swirling skirts: 1,200 dancers take part in winter folk dance festival
Over 1,000 dancers took part in a winter folk dance festival in Ida-Viru County on Saturday that celebrated the joy of dancing rather than knowing all the right steps.
The Kohtla-Nõmme Talvepilgar, which took place under sunny winter skies as temperatures dropped below -10 degrees Celsius, was dedicated to dance leader Urve Kilgi.
More than 1,200 dancers ventured onto the snowy temporary dance floor on the grounds of the Estonian Mining Museum in Kohtla-Nõmme.
Imbi Tito, the main organizer of the event, said the festival is about having fun.
"This winter dance festival is a more relaxed format, since it features traditional folk dances. Even if you don't know the steps, you can make one up or just enjoy following along. It's an open format /.../ we're not going to scold anyone for not knowing the steps. If you look at summer dance festivals, even those in Virumaa, they have formations, and you really have to know the choreography and execute patterns. Here, it's all about the joy of dancing, lighting up your heart and your eyes," she said.
The next event is scheduled to be held in Kohtla-Nõmme in three years time.
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Editor: Helen Wright, Marko Tooming
