AŠTUNTOJI LAISVOJO PASAULIO LIETUVIŲ TAUTINIŲ ŠOKIŲ ŠVENTĖ
As printed in the program
“Lietuvių tauta daug iškentėjusi ir dar šiandien tebenešanti sunkią Sovietų Sąjungos okupacinė priespaudą, niekados nepalūžo savo troškime būti laisva, nepriklausoma.”
Bobelis, chair of the Supreme Committee for the Liberation of Lithuania, writes the opening greeting — one year before the Baltic Way.
— Žiburio Archive, editorial note
How this catalog frames the moment
OccupationThe catalog explicitly frames the festival as a cultural and political act of resistance against Soviet occupation. It repeatedly emphasizes the suffering of Lithuanians under Soviet rule and the festival’s role in asserting Lithuania’s right to freedom and independence. The event is presented as a demonstration of solidarity with those still in occupied Lithuania.
Diaspora identityThe catalog portrays the diaspora as the custodian of Lithuanian culture and identity in exile, tasked with preserving traditions and transmitting them to future generations. It frames the diaspora’s role as both cultural and political, with the festival serving as a unifying force that reinforces a shared identity rooted in love for Lithuania and opposition to occupation.
What is left unsaidThe catalog does not acknowledge or engage with any Soviet Lithuanian cultural institutions or artists, nor does it mention the possibility of cultural exchange with occupied Lithuania. There is no reference to contemporary Lithuanian cultural production within the Soviet Union, reinforcing a narrative of complete cultural and political separation.
- Organized by
- Kanados ir JAV lietuvių bendruomenėsVIII-tosios Laisvojo pasaulio lietuvių tautinių šokių šventės rengimo komitetasVyriausias Lietuvos Išlaisvinimo Komitetas
- Pages
- 90-110
Official greetings in this program
“Susirinkę iš įvairių kraštų į VIII-ąją laisvojo pasaulio lietuvių tautinių šokių šventę, pirmąją Kanadoje, mes su dideliu džiaugsmui ir pasididžiavimu parodykime pasauliui mūsų gražiųjų tautinių šokių pynėje tautos kultūrines vertybes, tradicijas, ir visuotiną, nedvejojanti laisvės siekimo įsipareigojimą Lietuvai bei pavergtiesiems mūsų broliams ir sesėms.”
Gathered from various lands for the Eighth Lithuanian Folk Dance Festival of the Free World, the first in Canada, we with great joy and pride show the world in our beautiful folk dances the cultural values and traditions of our nation, and our unwavering commitment to the pursuit of freedom for Lithuania and our enslaved brothers and sisters.
“Vienas iš pagrindinių tikslų pasaulinio masto šventėse, kaip ir ši tautinių šokių šventė, ir yra suartinti mus, pagelbėti tarpusavy atpažinti savuosius brolius ir seseris, kurių gyslose teka tas pats lietuviškas kraujas, kurių širdyse dega ta pati meilė Lietuvai.”
One of the main goals of world-scale festivals, like this folk dance festival, is to bring us closer, to help us recognize our brothers and sisters, in whose veins flows the same Lithuanian blood, whose hearts burn with the same love for Lithuania.
“Such occasions provide tangible proof of the rich mosaic that we enjoy through the development of our multicultural heritage.”
The Governor General welcomes participants and highlights the festival as a celebration of multiculturalism, emphasizing the richness of Canada’s cultural mosaic and the importance of heritage preservation.
“The Lithuanian Folk Dance Festival of the Free World is an international showcase of traditional entertainment celebrating the Lithuanian Culture. It also promotes understanding through education and sharing, and this fact, has made it such a recognized event.”
The Prime Minister praises the festival as an international showcase of Lithuanian culture, promoting understanding and unity. He underscores Canada’s pride in its multicultural identity and the importance of heritage.
“This delightful occasion provides an opportunity for those of Lithuanian origin to come together as a community and celebrate their culture through the media of music and dance.”
The Premier of Ontario welcomes attendees and acknowledges the festival as an opportunity for the Lithuanian community to celebrate its culture through music and dance, reinforcing community bonds.
“The Lithuanian nation, having suffered much and still bearing the heavy yoke of Soviet occupation, has never wavered in its desire to be free and independent.”
Lietuvių tauta daug iškentėjusi ir dar šiandien tebenešanti sunkią Sovietų Sąjungos okupacinė priespaudą, niekados nepalūžo savo troškime būti laisva, nepriklausoma.
Themes articulated by this catalog
- 01The festival is explicitly framed as a political act of cultural resistance against Soviet occupation, using folk dance to assert Lithuanian national identity and solidarity with those in occupied Lithuania.
- 02The catalog argues that folk dance is a vital tool for preserving Lithuanian cultural distinctiveness and transmitting it to younger generations in the diaspora, ensuring continuity despite displacement.
- 03The event is positioned as a unifying force for the global Lithuanian diaspora, fostering connections among communities scattered across the Free World and reinforcing a shared cultural and political identity.
- 04The catalog emphasizes the role of folk dance in showcasing Lithuanian heritage to broader audiences, particularly in multicultural societies like Canada, where it contributes to the national mosaic of traditions.
- 05The festival is presented as a celebration of Lithuanian folk traditions as living, evolving art forms, not static relics, with choreographers adapting and innovating while staying rooted in ethnographic authenticity.
Named in this catalog · 14
More forthcoming as full-catalog transcription completes
- Dr. Vaidotas Kvedaras · VIII-tosios Laisvojo pasaulio lietuvių tautinių šokių šventės rengimo komiteto pirmininkas
- Genovaitė Dumčiūtė-Breichmanienė · Šventės meno vadovė, essayist
- Liudas Sagys · Šventės meno vadovas
- Rita Karasiejienė · Šventės meno vadovė
- Juozas Karasiejus · Šventės meno vadovas
- Jonas Govėdas · Šventės orkestro dirigentas
- Vytautas Valentas · JAV LB krašto valdybos pirmininkas
- Vytautas Bireta · Kanados LB krašto valdybos pirmininkas
- J. Lingys · Choreographer
- K. Marijošienė · Choreographer
- G. Breichmanienė · Choreographer, Director of Hamilton Lithuania Dance Ensemble 'Gyvataras'
- J. Danys · Choreographer
- M. Baronaitė-Grėbliūnienė · Choreographer
- J. Matulaitienė · Choreographer
Ensembles · 2
More forthcoming as full-catalog transcription completes
- VOLUNGĖS choras · Hamilton, Canada
- Hamilton Lithuania Dance Ensemble 'Gyvataras' · Hamilton, Canada