Photos by Karl-Fredy Kruup
Place:Pala school stadium., Peipsiääre
Timeframe: June 7 2025
Participants: 250 dancers and ca 250 in audience
Goal: To strengthen the sense of local belonging, the joy of doing things together, and to raise awareness of the unique heritage of the Kodavere region.
WHAT IS IT?
We aim to provide local active community members with opportunities to showcase their creativity and Peipsiääre municipality both locally and to a broader Estonian audience and also for the international public. This will enhance the recognition of our region’s cultural heritage and foster growth within the creative sector in Peipsiääre municipality. We want to signal that Peipsiääre is fertile ground for creative ideas to flourish. These activities will also help to activate the community and foster a sense of belonging.
What happened?
In Estonia dancing and singing are like national sports. There is a nation-wide dance festival and Peipsiääre municipality organises its own local dance celebration — to bring people together and share the joy of doing things as a community.
Local residents rehearsed for the dance performance throughout the entire year. Together, they repaired old folk costumes where needed and made new ones. All age groups took part in preparing for the celebration — from preschoolers to the elderly — ensuring everyone was included and could show their dancing. Even gymnasts participated.
The programme featured both well-known and beloved Estonian folk dances as well as dances unique to the Kodavere region, contributing to greater awareness of the area’s distinctive cultural heritage.
Another important aspect was strengthening the connections between dance group instructors and recognising their valuable work. This gave the local community a strong sense of pride in their shared accomplishments.
Why is it a succes?
A local dance celebration like this, involving all age groups and genders, strengthens the sense of belonging and the spirit of doing things together. During the preparations, people interact with each other, get to know one another, and exchange experiences.
As a result, social resilience is strengthened overall
Recommendations:
We highly recommend organising cultural events that actively involve many local people. We will definitely continue with the organisation of the Kodavere dance festival.