We needed more dancers.

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

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.

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.)

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.

Committee Meeting

Hanau, Germany, about 1946. My friend Nijole's Dad was leader of the Hanau Displaced Persons Camp. He stands on the right, and his wife stands next to him. Thanks to my friend Nijole for making this photo available to us.

Dedication

Hanau, Germany, about 1946. My friend Nijole has brought a doll to the scouting ceremony.

Thanks to Nijole for making this photo available to us.

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.

Bridesmaids

St. George's Parish, Bridgeport, Chicago, Illinois, May 1953. Lithuanians commonly used folkdresses as wedding garb.

Thanks to my friend Nijole for making this photo available to us.

"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.

Classmates

Kedainai, Lithuania, May 28, 1932. The girl in the bottom row, on the left, is the Mother of my friend Nijole. The students wear the identifying uniforms typical of that era.

Thanks to my friend Nijole for making this photo available to us.

Final Rehearsal

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

After the Ceremony

St. George's Parish, Bridgeport, Chicago, May 1953. My friend Nijole's Mom (standing, wearing the fur stole) attends a wedding.

Thanks to Nijole for making this photo available to us.

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.

Camp Leader

Hanau, Germany, about 1946. My friend Nijole's Father addresses the Displaced-Persons camp residents. Read more about Nijole's postwar experiences here.

Thanks to my friend 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.

Background

Hanau, Germany, about 1946. This girl in this photo is Nijole. She stands with her Parents, her maternal Grandmother, and a family friend near the Displaced-Persons camp. Nijole writes, "But who were those ominous men in the ruins??" You can read more about Nijole's experience here.

Thanks to my friend Nijole for making this photo available to us.

A Small Party

Hanau, Germany 1945. Lithuanian Displaced Persons at the Hanau camp host a children's party. My friend Nijole is the girl standing on the left. Her Mother holds her (her Mom also appears in this photo, sitting on the sofa behind my Mom).

Thanks to my friend Nijole for making this photo available to us.