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About folk dance group "Ritums" Latvia may be entered among the countries with highly sophisticated dancing culture. Children learn to dance from the age of three years and many of them fall in love with this kind of art for the rest of their lives. There have always existed many youth and silver generation folk-dance groups. However, in 1980 in the light of National folk-dance festival another category of folk-dancers emerged - the so called middle age dancers. In the spring of 1980 twenty people came together and prepared a dance festival program but in autumn of the same year they continued their work together with a musical group. Thus, the folk-dance group has already been existing for almost 19 years. A new concert program is prepared every year. Folk-dance group "RITUMS" repertoire includes Latvian folk-dances which are choreographically designed for stage, that is why we try to find appropriate regional costumes for each performance. The repertoire also includes folklore dance performances which are choreographically much more simple as well as ancient ball dances. Taking into account the fact that the dancers belong to the middle age group (25-45 years old) we try to enlist into the repertoire dances which deal with domestic issues, mutual relations, sometimes with a little bit of humor. Presently the leader of the group is Anda Zeidemane who is in charge of 40 dancers and 12 musicians and singers. The instrumental ensemble consists of 5 musicians (flute, violin, accordion, bassoon). The ensemble gives performances in association with the dance group as well as performs solo programs. Vocal-instrumental ensemble consists of people from different walks of life. Folk-dance group "RITUMS" gives performances in Jelgava as well as in other cities and towns of Latvia. It has performed before audiences in Lithuania, Estonia, it has been to Czech Republic, twice in Norway and Sweden, three times in Denmark, once in the Netherlands. In July, 1994 it participated in the international folklore festival which took place in Hansa city - Wismar. In 1995 the folk-dance group "RITUMS" was recognized as one of the best in Latvia. Yours sincerely, Viesturs Burkans President of RITUMS     Our address: Folk dance group "Ritums" Centralais laukums 1 Jelgava, LV-3001 Latvia Email: ritums80@mail.lv