Latvian Dance Group: OZOLIŅŠ
Many Latvians regard music, song and dance
as an important part of their lives. Although Latvia had not yet been
established as a self-sufficient state, the Latvians still gathered to sing the
first Latvian Song Festival in 1873. The song and dance festival took its
present form in 1983, and has since then been celebrated every five years in
the capital Riga. In the summer of 2018, the Song and Dance
Festival took on a special significance on the occasion of the centenary of
Latvia as an independent state. Over some spectacular days, it gathered more
than 45,000 participants from 21 countries. Of these, as many as 18,000
performed in various large-scale dance performances. The folk dance group
OZOLIŅŠ was proudly participating in this celebration.
The folk dance group OZOLIŅŠ was founded on
November 2, 2014. The name OZOLIŅŠ means "a small oak tree". The idea
behind this name is that a small oak tree grows bigger and stronger, eventually
becoming a VERY LARGE oak - a symbol of a strong Latvia. We are based in Sandefjord, but distance
means little when a Latvian has decided to dance and sing. That's why our
dancers also come from surrounding places, such as Tønsberg, Skoppum and
Drammen.
We love to come together to celebrate,
practice and promote Latvian traditions and culture.
