International Festival: Celebrate culture and community through joyful dance with Zaibas Lithuanian Dancers
Hope Horne
Founded in 1991, the Zaibas Lithuanian Dancers were established by Lithuanian families residing in the Greater Madison area. The group, which includes members ages 18 to 70+, aims to carry on tradition.
"The goal was to uphold the traditions of Lithuania and stay connected to the greater Lithuanian community,” said Ziema West, the group’s teacher.
The founding families are a diverse mix of immigrants born in Lithuania, children of immigrants and individuals who married into the Lithuanian community. Some members brought with them experience in dancing or participating in folk dance groups from other cities, and they wanted to bring the same cultural preservation to Madison.
Audiences attending the International Festival can anticipate a vibrant and lively performance from Zaibas Lithuanian Dancers.
“The audience can expect to see colorful national costumes, big smiles and of course some polka!” said West.
Lithuanian folk music is similar to other folk music based in Baltic and central or eastern European countries.
“We also have other upbeat music that is performed with skips, which is typically in a 4/4-time signature, rather than the 3/4 of a polka,” explained West.
When it comes to dance, the group loves a good polka, and that is the primary type of dance they will perform. They will also be performing a waltz, to show the variety of speeds and moods in their dances.
For such a big performance, planning and practice starts almost a year in advance.
“Typically, in August, as the teacher, I secure our rehearsal space and start selecting which dances we might do for this year’s show,” said West. “Then, rehearsals begin in September, taking place every other week for 2-3 hours.”
With such a large age range in the group, it can be difficult to align schedules. Therefore, members are always checking in and modifying schedules to make sure they make the most of their time together. At the end of rehearsals, they need to refuel, so they go out for dinner together.
“Just another opportunity to maintain the positive group atmosphere!” said West.
Zaibas Lithuanian Dancers love getting the opportunity to perform on Overture’s Capitol Theater stage.
“Smaller dance and performance groups don’t always get the opportunity to perform on a professional stage, so I’m always thankful that we continue to have this chance,” said West. “It’s especially exciting any time we have someone new in the group and they find out we get to perform at Overture Center. They are always very enthusiastic to share that information with those who are coming to watch them perform.”
Zaibas Lithuanian Dancers hope to leave the audience with a sense of joy and curiosity after watching them. For those intrigued by the performance, the Madison-Vilnius Sister Cities will have a table at the festival to provide more information about Lithuania.
“Maybe it will make others interested in discovering what their family’s background is and investigating their own immigration story,” said West.
One of West’s favorite things about being a part of Zaibas Lithuanian Dancers is carrying on their cultural traditions.
“Being able to uphold the traditions and customs of a smaller, possibly lesser-known country, is really special,” said West.
Plus, being a part of Zaibas has also introduced West to people from all over the country and the world. Lithuanian folk dancing has an international dance festival that takes place every four years in a different city in North America. Zaibas has participated in these performances since 1992.
“At these festivals we’ve cultivated lifelong friendships that span miles but are all connected through our shared history and love of dance, and I think that’s really special,” she said.
Zaibas Lithuanian Dancers perform at International Festival on Saturday, June 29 at 1:45 p.m. on the Capitol Theater stage. This will be their only performance this summer, so be sure not to miss it!
To stay in touch, follow Žaibas Lithuanian Dancers on Facebook or visit their website.
