Vonicka

The children’s folklore ensemble VONIČKA was founded in October 1995 at the primary school Čestlice (Prague – East). The ensemble is attended by children from Čestlice and surroundings. There are about sixty children from the age of four year in the team. The ensemble specializes mainly in Vlachian (north Moravia) folk dances and also from Slovak and Bohemian regions. The programme covers typical children‘s games, traditional folkways, dances performing traditional crafts and indeed folk songs and dances.

Sing- und Spielgruppe Hartberg

The folk dance ensemble comes from Hartberg, a little town in eastern Austria.  Since its foundation in 1953 they have toured with their repertoire almost all European countries. The group is keeping alive folk songs, dance and music of its country. Most of their songs present a short story about nature, people or love. A different song form is yodelling that used to be a means of communication for shepherds and forest workers and later became a part of folk culture. Typical music instruments are the Styrian accordion, the violin and the contrabass. But we will hear also the "hackbrett", an instrument popular especially in the 18th century. Over a cover are stretched approx. 20 strings, for each tone two or more, that are clung by strokes of sticks. From the "hackbrett" later developed the cimbalom. Dancing repertoire consists of so called "Landler" or a working dance "Mühlradl" (mill round).

Trachtenverein Floninger Kapfenberg

Trachtenverein Floninger Kapfenberg from Austria is a representative of Styrian culture. Their motto „ensemble for the whole family“ reflects the team´s membership. Thus the collective is formed by children´s, youth and adult groups, a music band  „Floninger Jungmusik“, a choir and a big traditional costumed group. For the festival in Prague they have prepared several expressive Styrian dances, a round of various traditional dances as well as impressive male "platter" dances from their region. Girls wear everyday cotton costume from Mürz Valley (the river Mürz flows through Kapfenberg), the adult women´s kit is a Sunday costume from silk brocade. In festive parades they wear an old Styrian costume with a golden lace hood. Both boys and men have typical Styrian leather trousers, green kneesocks and velvet waistcoats. Some dances require a green jerkin and a little hat. We will also see the Archduke Johann´s costume, accompanied by a green jerkin with typical red chamois on the back and a hut with blackcock feather and blue kneesocks.

Austrian folklore ensemble was founded in the community of Eguendorf near Salzburg in 1949. At the moment it has approx. 170 members who present traditional costumes and dances from Salzburg Region. Approx. 30 members are under 15 years old and form a youth group. In a dance group, there are approx. 35 men and women aged 15 - 30. The ensemble performs a men's dance “Schuhplattler” and couple dance figures like the "Salzburger Almtanz", accompanied by the Styrian accordions. D' Vorberger performs all year round contibuting to cultural life of their community and region (church fests, harvest, May pole erection, St. George fests, provincial festivals in Salzburg). Very popular are their dance courses for general public. The women's traditional kit is a black cotton costume with a short-sleeved white blouse, a ruby-coloured silk scarf and an apron, white knee-length socks and black shoes. The men wears a black hat with feather, a green jerkin, a white shirt, a silk neck-tie, black short leather trousers and braces with white embroidery and also white knee-length socks and black shoes.

Aires de mi Tierra

The ensemble Aires de Mi Tierra was founded by Martha Yolanda Villarraga in the Colombian city of Ibagué in 1995. The original name was Juventud Folclórica del Tolima. Members were children aged 5 – 12. It is now an amateur ensemble aiming at promotion of typical music and dances of Mexico, Colombia and Bolivia. Together with children from the school in Tramuntana they rehearse traditional Colombian dance in Pont de Molins. The group has been gradually joined by dancers of different ages and nationalities who present dances and traditions of several Latin American countries.    

Wicket Brood Morris Dance Group

Mixed Morris group dancing in Welsh Border Morris style, a collection of individual local dances from villages along the English side of the Wales-England border, which dates back to the 17 th century; and was danced by farm labourers during the winter when work and money were short. They passed round the hat to collect cash, which was treated as illegal begging, and there were harsh penalties if they were caught. So they blacked faces with charcoal or coal dust, and wore rag coats so they wouldn't be recognised. The costumes of the group are based on traditional sources. The ‘tatter’ jackets are purple, green, and black. Black trousers, stout boots of purple, green or black, and hats of similar colours complete the scene. In common with many Border Morris sides, the faces of the dancers are painted.

Dacre Morris

Dacre Morris is an all-women side with two male musicians founded in South East London in 1981. The team perform dances in the Cotswold tradition, originating from various Midlands villages. “Morris dancing” is a form of English folk dance usually accompanied with music, with implements such as sticks, swords, tobacco pipes, and handkerchiefs. The group´s kit consists of red dresses over white long-sleeved shirts, red shoes and green, yellow and red flashes. Bells are worn on wrists and feet.

Kesteven Morris

A Lincolnshire based mixed Morris group founded in 1976. The men perform traditional Morris and rapper using sticks, handkerchiefs and swords. The women also perform Morris and North West Dances using sticks, handkerchiefs and garlands.

Folk dance group „Virmalised“ comes from a small Mid-Estonian town Põltsamaa and was founded 51 years ago. Dancers wear national folk costumes and the group´s repertoire involves both folk as well as modern dances.

Folk Dance Group Höbehall (Hobehall)

Folk dance ensemble „Hõbehall“ was founded in 1995 as a female group only. In  2001 a unique mixed-group joined the ensemble. „Hõbehall“ comes from a southeastern part of Estonia (also called Setomaa). The group members wear national costumes and their repertoire consists mostly of folk dances of Setomaa Region.

Lei Dansaire de Sant Dounat

The ensemble comes from Montfort, a village situated in the south of France, in the heart of Provence. There are ca. 40 members in the group, whose aim is to keep folk traditions, such as the language, dances, songs, costumes and everyday life of mid 19th century in Provence. The repertoire includes dances, such as rigodon, mazurka, polka, farandole or quadrille accompanied by traditional instruments: galoubets, tambourines and accordions. The pipe (galoubet) is accopanied by the leather tambouret. Men´s kit consists of a linen or hempen shirt, a waistcoat, trousers with a red, grey or blue belt and a felt hat. Women are dressed in various costumes representing different social classes in that period. A peasant woman has a shift, a skirt of dowlass, an apron, a corslet, a linen or hempen shirt, a kerchief, a craftswoman wears a skirt woven of Indian cotton, a finer shift often decorated, an apron, a black velvet corslet, a white shirt, a kerchief and a lace coif. A landlady, the richest one, wears a dress with or without an apron, a beautiful lace coif and a white embroidered kerchief. Women cover their heads with coifs or straw hats.

Cercle Celtique KOROLL BREIZH

The ensemble Le cercle Celtique KOROLL BREIZH (Celtic Circle “Breton Dance”) was founded in 1981 to promote Breton culture in all forms (dance, music and language). The ensemble studies and performs dances from all parts of Brittany and organizes various cultural events such as festou-noz (Breton balls), exhibitions, dance competitions etc. Costumes are inspired by dress worn in Quimper Region around the year 1880. The dancers are accompanied among others by two typical Breton music instruments: the Scottish pipes and the bombarde. The bombarde (in Breton) is a conical bore double-reed musical instrument blown by the mouth. The bombarde requires so much breath that a bombard player (talabarder) can rarely play for long periods. The Bombarde may never play alone and is usually accompanied by the biniou kozh (small pipes) or the biniou braz (Breton pipes) or other instruments, such as the flute and the violin, used mainly in the eastern part of Brittany where a traditional Roman language Gallo is spoken.

CERCLE CELTIQUE « AN DROUZ VOR »

Based in a historical seaside town of Port-Louis, Brittany, the Celtic dance troupe “An Drouz Vor" (Sound of the Sea) was formed in 1994 to artistically preserve traditional Breton customs. Combining traditional dances, songs and music in a dynamic performance, the troupe brings its creative vision to audiences in Brittany and beyond. The dancers' costumes replicate traditional dress worn in Port-Louis at the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century. The theatre group (around 20 dancers plus the children's section) is accompanied by singers, a musical band and a bag pipers trio. During summer the group takes part in major Breton cultural festivals (e.g. the Festival Interceltique of Lorient) and worldwide. The ensemble has also appeared on French and Chinese TV.

L´ Oulivarello

A French folk dance group “L´Oulivarello” was founded in Marseille in 1979. The group´s name  comes from the Provençal language and means “a little olive picker”. The ensemble has several sections, one of them offers e.g. Provençal language courses. There are around 30 dancers in a dance group who perform dances from France after 1884. Their costumes are original or true copies of dress worn in Marseille in the first half of 19th century by bourgeois, craftsmen, seamen and peasants. The dancers are accompanied by musicians playing the tambourines and the typical pipe with three openings called “galoubet”. In the choir there are approx. 25 singers in all voice categories, which enables them to present arrangements of Provençal folk songs.

La Capeline de Menton

The French folklore ensemble was founded by a poet and historian Louis Moreno in 1935 to preserve local traditions and all forms of folk art. “La Capeline” means a rye straw hat used by women to cover their heads from hot sunrays. The team consists of a mixed choir, a group of dancers and a small orchestra playing the mandoline, the mandola, the guitar and the fife. In their repertoire there are songs and dances from Menton Region on French Riviera and poems by Louis Moreno arranged by Angelo Graffione. Through the group´s performances we learn more about life and work of the Mentonians in 18th and 19th century, above all about fishing, citrus fruit, olives and wine grapes planting. The kit is authentic costumes of various corporations. Women wear Sunday dress of flower-girls, their skirts are red-white striped reminding of belonging of Menton to Principality of Monaco (annexation to France in 1861). La Capeline de Menton has performed in more than 200 towns in France and all over Europe.

Choir of the Nicosia Municipality

The Nicosia Municipal Choir was founded in November 2004. It is a mixed ensemble. Its repertoire includes mainly works by Greek composers, as well as traditional Cypriot folklore and contemporary compositions that elaborate on traditional themes. The choir has performed at a number of festivals and other cultural events in Cyprus and abroad. The Nicosia Municipal Choir is a major contributor to the cultural events and festivities organised by the Municipality of Nicosia. The Choir collaborates on a regular basis with pianist Maria Sophocleous. The creative development and public appearances of the choir are managed by Artistic Director Koulis Theodorou.

Famagusta Municipality Choir

Famagusta Municipality Choir was founded in 1997 by the Municipal Council of Famagusta. Famagusta is a city on the east coast of Cyprus and is capital of the Famagusta District. After the Turkish invasion in 1974, the Council of Famagusta was displaced and nowadays it resides in the city of Limassol. The mission of the choir is to promote their occupied town and to preserve the memory of the town alive. Its repertoire includes a wide spectrum of Classical, religious and other compositions. The ensemble has got 45 singers and is a member of the Greek Union of Choirs. Since 2003 the conductor has been Nikos Vichas.

KUD "Fran Galovic" Peterenac

The group from Peteranec (near Koprivnica in Croatian Podravina Region) was founded in 1999. The repertoire is based on love songs from 20th century and songs connected with folk customs, such as:  marriage proposal, wedding etc. The group also performs dances of Podravina Region, such as “kolo” (a round-dance) and Hungarian czardas, children´s games from 19th century and demonstrates everyday village life. The main music instrument is the tambura (tambouritza, kind of a string instrument). The musicians use more kinds of tamburas, which they have made by themselves. The female costume has got three main components. A tight blouse made from thin cloth or silk richly decorated with silk ribbons and lace with long a narrow sleeves and a high collar. A skirt made of thin, black, blue or brown cloth and an apron („frtunj“), made of dark silk, ornamented with lace and silk ribbons. Under the blouse, women wear underwear called „pocuknjenke“ from home-made linen fabric, richly decorated in different white embroidery techniques. Married women wear various kinds of silk or wollen headscarves. The male kit consists of shirt „robača“,  trousers „štofene lače“ and a simple shirt made from rough linen.

GREEK CULTURE ASSOCIATION in Haldika - ALONAKI

The Greek Culture Association in Halkida, “ALONAKI”, was established in 1985 and is based in Chalkida (Halkida), the chief town of the island of Euboea in Greece. The aim of the Association is to contribute to the preservation and expansion of the dance and music heritage of their country. The dance group presents folk dances and costumes from various Greek regions, such as Thrace, Greek Islands, Epirus and Pontos.

Municipal Enterprise of Culture - Municipality of Veria

Group of Municipality of Veria, the capital of the region of Imathia, situated in Northern Greece, is a  member of the Greek department of CIOFF. The group was founded in 1978 and has got over 80 members and a traditional orchestra. The ensemble has participated in many European dance festivals (Spain, Denmark, Austria, Germany, Belgium, Italy, Hungary, Bulgaria, Cyprus). Music, dances and costumes that the group will present in Prague come from the region of Central Macedonia and Thrace.

CEGLÉDBERCELI NÉMET NEMZETISÉGI IFJÚSÁGI EGYESÜLET/ Berzeler Ungarndeutscher Jugendverein / Bercel Preservation Society

The folk dance group comes from Ceglédbercel (Bercel), a village situated in the County of Pest, Hungary. Repertoire of the group cosists of dances from their village, such as “Bercel jumper”,  “rooster dance” and the “Jidischi”, dances originating from Vienna, and waltz and polka with local choreography.

Sbandieratori e Musici dei Dovara - Gruppo Storico di Isola Dovarese

Sbandieratori e Musici dei Dovara is a historical group based in Isola Dovarese, a little village near Cremona in Lombardia Region in the north of Italy. The ensemble was founded in 1984 and in Prague it is going to celebrate its 25th anniversary. The group has come to Prague with 40 members, among them flag throwers, drummers, dancers, jugglers and street artists, who with their show evoke the atmosphere of the 15th century, in courts, in palaces and in cities of Italian Renaissance. Costumes, music and dances presented by the ensemble are a result of a historical study, based on historical books and sources of that period to offer to the audience a very beautiful show. Flag throwers, ancient military figures, accompanied army troops during battles with a drum sound and always had to bring colours of their army and were never allowed to loose it.                                                                                          

Bal Do Sabre

A folk dance group „Bal do Sabre“ is an historical ensemble based in Bagnasco, a town of the Val Tamaro (Tamaro Valley), situated in the Region of Piedmont, Italy. „Bal do Sabre“ is at the same time a name of a popular ancient ballet linked to Saracen domination of the area of the Val Tamaro in the 9th – 10th century. The origin of the dance comes from an old Saracen legend in which a farmer of Bagnasco is sentenced to death, because he did not want to allow his daughter to marry a head of Saracens. Nevertheless, the roots of the ballet are even older and are connected with ancient rites for fruitfulness of the Earth. Each character of the legend and of the dance has got its symbolic meaning. The dancers represent the months of the year, the farmer symbolizes the Earth and the minstrel stands for spring that brings new life after winter.

Zespół Pieśni i Tańca "Leliwa"

Leliwa Ensemble of Song and Dance from the Center of Culture in Leżajsk was founded in 1989. The group has 48 members divided into two sections: children´s and youth. The ensemble takes part in cultural life of their hometown Leżajsk and the whole region. Leliwa has successfully presented  Polish culture and traditions in Poland as well as abroad (France, Hungary, Ukradne). At Prague festival Leliwa has been performing national Polish dances, such as Krakowiak, Polonez with mazurka, Kujawiak with Oberek, and national songs from the Region of Rzeszów.

Grupo Folclórico e Etnográfico da Freguesia de Alvega

The ensemble comes from a Portugese Region of Ribatejo, a land in the past typical for farming, pasturage and fishing. These activities are reflected in the dances and songs of the group. The team has got around 30 dancers, singers and musicians, who play the typical Portugese instruments, such as the accordion, the reco-reco (an intrument made from a bamboo or wooden tube with carved saw-custs), the adice (type of tamburine) and the triangl. The dances originate from several regions of Portugal, e.g. Ribatejo, Beira Baixa and Alentejo. The costumes were used for various occasions – a market kit, a rich people´s dress, a Sunday women´s costume, a wedding dress etc. The ensemble has also got its own han-made workshop reparing costumes and producing traditional craftworks, which they present at markets and folk festivals.

Suramen

Agrupación Folclorica Reino de Castilla

The folklore association was founded in 1982 with the aim to investigate and popularize traditional dances, music and costumes of the Spanish region Castile. The group is formed by 40 members: dancers, singers and an instrumental group. It has a very wide repertoire with dances and music, such as jotas, ligeros, corridos, fandangos, pasodobles. Paso doble means a "double step" in Spanish and is based on music played at bullfights. The leader of this dance plays the part of the madador. His dancing partner generally plays a role of the matador's scarf, but can also represent the bull or torreador's girlfriend. The costumes are based on traditional clothing used for various cultural or social occasions or everyday activities, like Costume of Elegance (to use at parties and festivities), Cerrato and Campos (a typical farm suit), mountain kit (of the Northern part of Castile) or dress for pilgrimages

Esbart Barkeno - Barcelona

Catalan folk dance group Esbart Barkeno was founded at a municipal school of the town Barkeno. In 1990 the ensemble became independent and so called Espart (typical name of dance groups in Catalonia) came into existence. Originally the team had 8 members, who are today a part of an adult group. Esbart Barkeno performs at festivals in the whole Spain (e.g. Mostra d'Entitats de la Marina, Festival de la Infància i de la Joventut de Barcelona, Festival de Dansa de Bagà). The team members wear two types of costumes, a higher class kit made from black and glossy materials, and a colouful working costume from rough fabric.

Esbart Dansaire Figueres

The Catalan ensemble Esbart Dansaire Figueres was founded in 1990. The dancers have participated in several festivals in Europe (Italy, France, Germany, Belgiím). They perform regularly at cultural and social events all over Catalonia and Spain. Their repertoire consists of dances from Catalonia, Balearic Islands and Aragon (e.g. jota, fandango, marina, sardana). For each of these dances they have a special costume (seaside areas, mountains) and each dance has its contens connected with a certain activity or event.

ASSOCIACIO PER LA DANSA ESTUDI FOLK

Folklore Association from Catalonia was founded in 1992 as a part of a secondary school in the town of Manresa. Since 2005 the ensemble has existed as an independent folk dance group. In Prague the group has been performing with dancers of various age, children aged 9-14, and older group members aged 15-30. The Association has taken part in several international folklore festivals, e.g. in Italy (Udine-Povolletto and Ara di Tricessimo), in Portugal (Monforte a Portoalegre), in Sardinia (Sennori, Gavoy, Sinnai and Valledoria). The costumes change in accordance with geographical parts of Catalonia, e.g. a kit used in the mountains, at the seaside etc.

Bastoners de Malla

Bastoners de Malla, founded in 2004, is a Catalan traditional dance group presenting old Catalan dances called "Ball de Bastons". These traditional dances relate to rural experiences and  farmers’ life in the middle part of Catalonia. The dancers perform with sticks and bells. The men wear white shirts and trousers, red sashes, scarfs and bands with bells attached to their legs, Catalan sandals called espardenyes and Mediterranean straw hats called palloles. The women wear white shorts, flowered skirts, aprons, traditional ballet shoes, scarfs on the head and Mediterranean straw hats. The musicians plays the Catalan traditional whistle, the taborpipe called „flabiol i tambor“in Catalan and the Catalan bagpipe, called „Sac de Gemecs“.

Trachtentanzgruppe Baar

The folklore group Trachtengruppe Baar comes from Central Switzerland. Dancers wear a working, festive and Sunday dress of the region of Zug. Their repertoire includes dances from the whole Switzerland, among them valse, polka, mazurka etc. Musicians play on the manual organ originating in the Canton of Schwyz, the clarinet a the bass violin. Two alphorn players and two flag bearers will also join the ensemble at the festival in Prague. During the parade through the Old Town the group will present traditional cow bells, hanging over the shoulders of the musicians, who change the sound of the bells by swaying.

Trachtengruppe Rothenburg

The Swiss group has existed since 1947 and is based in Rothenburg, suburb of the city Lucerne. The team wear Lucerne´s Sunday and festive costumes, their repertoire cosists of dances from the whole Switzerland. Since 2004 the ensemble has cooperated with a group Trachtengruppe Rain, with which it has been performing in Prague. Musicians are from Trachtenmusik Rothenburg, a wind orchestra with 12 members and a conductor Paul Elmiger. Two Alps Horn players will also join the band, a flag bearer Walter Bucher will show his skills.

Trachtengruppe Giswil

A Swiss folklore group was established in 1932. At present there are 59 active dancers and musicians in the team, who take part in national and international meetings. The ensemble has got its own choreographs, who create new dances for the group, such as Hobby-Senn, Regulaschottisch, Trachtächeli etc. Dancer are accompanied by several music instruments, among them the clarinet, the manual organ, the accordion, the Swiss small accordion, so called Schwyzerörgeli, and the contrabass. Married women wear a white hood, young girls have their hair piled-up and clasped with a silver brace.

Trachtelüüt Willisau

A folk dance group from Switzerland came into existence already in 1926 and nowadays it has got 125 members. Their repertoire is based on traditional dances of Central Switzerland but also other dances, such as Seppel, Schächetaler, dör’s Änzi hendere, s’Örgelihuus or Birgels Geburtstag. Dancers are accompanied by the hand organ and other instruments. In Prague the group has been performing together with several choral members, who have prepared a programme of Swiss folk songs. The women´s kit is a Sunday costume used in the town Lucerne with blue dress, the men wear blue jerkins called Chuteli, black hats and trousers.