Journey to 2028 Song and Dance Festival gets underway!
Update #300
International rahvatants instructors' certification in Tallinn
From October 5–8, 2026, Eesti Rahvatantsu ja Rahvamuusika Selts (Estonian Folk Dance and Folk Music Association) in Tallinn hosted the historic second international rahvatants (folk dance) instructors’ certification, drawing 20 participants from across three continents—Europe, Australia, and North America. North America was represented by Elin Marley of TERR Kungla, Sirje Press of Põhjanael, and Ellen Valter of Nou Pois Äläud.
The intensive 32+ hours' curriculum prepared instructors for the upcoming Tantsupidu 2028: “Olemise viis”, which will combine both youth and general dance festivals for the first time. Over 16,000–17,000 dancers are expected to perform at Kalevi Staadion! Estonians abroad will form a dedicated division led by Mari-Liis Kivioja, who resides in Luxembourg.
Over 600 instructors in Estonia are also being taught, so that more than 25,000 dancers in Estonia will be ready to submit their competency videos to vie for those 16,000 stadium spots in 2028. Diaspora dance groups have a similar journey to undertake, and this path kicked off with this course..
With rigorous 12-hour days, instructors tackled core movements with Kadri Tiis, training classes with David Truusa and Agne Kurrikoff-Herman, heritage dance with Mall Paulus, notation analysis with Karin Soosalu, repertoire selection with Kristiina Siig, and folk costume essentials with Lembe Maria Sihvre.
Every evening, participants audited local Tallinn rehearsals. Observing local rahvatants group practices provided valuable perspective for diaspora teachers. With group members navigating vast travel distances just to get to rehearsal in participating instructors' home countries. the structure of the weekly rehearsal received an intense review in the minds of every instructor.
And if intense days weren't enough, on the Wednesday evening, the group joined regulars at Tantsuklubi (Dance Club) at Hopneri Maja in Tallinn's old town for several fun hours of social dances.
The final session was 6 hours of sage advice on what to wear (and what NOT to wear) as part of rahvarõivad (folk costume) at Tantsupidu, with Lembe Maria Sihvre, and all got to try their hand at making sock garters.
Left Lembe Maria Sihvre who provided folk costume 101 training, centre, Kaupo Kitsing (Hamburg) modelling a properly tied sock garter, right, Elin Marley (Toronto) modelling an Emmaste palmik (headdress). Fotos: E. Valter
This vital training ensures diaspora dancers worldwide, in 2028, arrive at Kalevi Staadion ready to unite in step - mark your calendars already for June 30-July 2 2028 Tantsupidu, July 2 for the Folk Music Festival, and July 7-9 for Laulupidu! Tickets go on sale in January 2028. Stay tuned with the KESKUS newsletter!
All diaspora instructors agreed: an invaluable four days had passed - connections deepened and skills acquired. Let's do this again very soon! Thank you to David Truusa, Kadri Tiis, Agne Kurrikoff-Herman, Mari-Liis Kivioja for leading the charge! Certificate presentation ceremony:
Top centre, Elin Marley receiving her certificate from Kadri Tiis, 2028 "Olemise viis" dance festival artistic director; middle centre, Mari-Liis Kivioja, international division director receiving her certificate from Agne Kurrikoff-Herman, 2028 "Olemise viis" program director; bottom right, Ellen Valter received her certificate from David Truusa, both of whom helped create EAC's FILMIST Stuudio New York program in 2025, with David Truusa being the lead for this international instructors' training session.
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