The Big Stage

University of Wisconsin—Madison, January 26, 1992. We're performing a quadrille, "Ketvirtainis."

We needed more dancers.

University of Wisconsin Baraboo/Sauk County, Baraboo, Wisconsin, April 1994. We did fine.

Waiting

Marshall High School, Marshall, Wisconsin, March 1992. We're waiting for the next number.

After the Performance

University of Wisconsin Baraboo/Sauk County, Baraboo, Wisconsin, April 1994. We're happy the show went well.

A Familiar Dance

University of Wisconsin Baraboo/Sauk County, Baraboo, Wisconsin, April 1994. We're dancing Blezdingėlė again.

Today's the day.

The Fifteenth Lithuanian Folk Dance Festival takes place today in Baltimore, Maryland. Our Madison-area folk dance group, Žaibas, will perform at the event.

Rosemont Horizon, Rosemont, Illinois, July 1992. Žaibas is ready to march in the dancers' parade.

The Performance

Rosemont Horizon, Rosemont, Illinois, July 1992. The size of the festival's audience catches Mr. Irene's attention.

(Hey! I sewed Mr. Irene's folk costume.)

The Windmill

Madison, Wisconsin, November 17, 1991. We rehearse our most energetic number before performing.

Crossing

University of Wisconsin Baraboo/Sauk County, Baraboo, Wisconsin, April 1994. I don't remember which dance this was, but I recall it was fun.

Awaiting Instructions

Madison, Wisconsin, January 26, 1992. Mr. Irene and I await final dance instructions before we head to another performance.

Spring Thing

Madison, Wisconsin, Spring 1992. The Madison folk dance group, Žaibas, poses for the shot to be included in the Ninth Lithuanian Folk Dance Festival program.

Backstage Rehearsal

Madison, Wisconsin, November 17, 1991. The women of Žaibas practice Belzdinėlė one more time before we perform at the Madison International Festival.

"Irish songs, jokes & Lithuanian Dancers"

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St. Joseph Catholic Parish School, Baraboo, Wisconsin, March 15, 1992. There are several ways to celebrate St. Patrick's Day.

Final Rehearsal

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Rosemont Horizon, Rosemont, Illinois, July 1992. We're ready for the big performance.

An Independence Day "Minejimas"

Today, February 16, is Lithuanian Independence Day. The holiday celebrates Lithuania's independence, in 1918, from the Russian Empire. Now, of course, there is a second Independence Day—a restoration day—marking the day Lithuania broke from the Soviet Union in 1991.

Lithuanians recognize both days. Traditionally, groups host a "Minejimas," or commemoration, filled with speeches, poetry recitations, music, and dancing. 

Here in Madison, Madison-Vilnius Sister Cities, Inc. organized a similar reception. We gathered at the Central Madison Public Library. We ate some goodies (I baked a Trupininis Pyragas), and then Nijole shared a presentation about the history of the Žaibas Dance Group. Žaibas this year celebrates its twenty-fifth anniversary.

Madison, Wisconsin, February 14, 2016. The library offered a beautiful room for the gathering.
 

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Nijole created a display featuring items from Žaibas's history (yes, the group danced at a festival in Japan. And in Argentina).
 

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Ah, "[w]e were so much younger then."
 

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We chatted before the program.

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We stood for the Lithuanian National Anthem. No one had an excuse for not knowing the lyrics.

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Nijole began her presentation.
 

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Current and former Žaibas dancers rose to applause.
 

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Nijole spoke about the history of folk dancing, especially among the Displaced Persons living in postwar camps. You may have seen this photo earlier.
 

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And this one, too.

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We have a great group! 

Performance

Rosemont Horizon, Rosemont, Illinois, July 1992. Members of Žaibas perform at the Ninth Lithuanian Folk Dance Festival (you may recognize my striped skirt).

The dance is "Blezdingėlė." Also here:

Hat Dance

Chicago, Illinois, probably mid-1950s. The seated woman wearing the striped hat is the mother of my friend Nijole.

Thanks to Nijole for making this photo available to us.

Applause

Madison's International Festival takes place tomorrow at the Overture Center. The Wisconsin folk dance group, Žaibas, will perform at 12:45.

Žaibas is the group with which Mr. Irene and I performed in the early 1990s. We danced at the festivals back when they occurred at the old Oscar Mayer Theater.

Madison, Wisconsin, 1991 to 1995. Here are Žaibas's curtain calls at the early festivals.

Thanks to my friend Nijole for making these clips available to us.

The Madison Kūčios Celebration

Madison-Vilnius Sister Cities, Inc. and the Madison-area folk dance group, Žaibas, hosted its annual Kūčios gathering yesterday. It's a lovely event, and folks arrive from around the state to celebrate the occasion.

Madison, Wisconsin, December 12, 2015. Each table featured a plate of plotkelės.

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Madison, Wisconsin, December 12, 2015. It's a potluck affair. I made Christmas Fish. (See menu items and recipes here and here and here.)

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Madison, Wisconsin, December 12, 2015. We had several delicious herring dishes.

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Madison, Wisconsin, December 12, 2015. That's my (first) plate. My favorite dish was the "Herring Under a Fur Coat."

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Madison, Wisconsin, December 12, 2015. Santa arrives!

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Madison, Wisconsin, December 12, 2015. Santa engages the children in the "Jurgelis Meistrelis" dance. Santa had push-ups on the mind.

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Madison, Wisconsin, December 12, 2015. This Santa was so good that even his children didn't recognize him.

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Madison, Wisconsin, December 12, 2015. Santa had a tree decorated with straw ornaments.

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Madison, Wisconsin, December 12, 2015. Finally, it's time for the gifts!

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Madison, Wisconsin, December 12, 2015. Aww, bless.

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Madison, Wisconsin, December 12, 2015. There's no free gift for the older children: each must recite a poem or perform a song before Santa passes along the prize.

Appreciation

Monona, Wisconsin, December 2013. The traditional ornaments are lovely; even the ornaments made from drinking straws are nostalgic.