University of Tartu Folk Art Ensemble
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University of Tartu Folk Art Ensemble ( or TÜ RKA) is a
University of Tartu The University of Tartu (UT; et, Tartu Ülikool; la, Universitas Tartuensis) is a university in the city of Tartu in Estonia. It is the national university of Estonia. It is the only classical university in the country, and also its biggest ...
folk dance group. It was founded in 1945 and as of 2015 there were around 150 dancers, that makes it one of the oldest and biggest folk dance groups in
Estonia Estonia, formally the Republic of Estonia, is a country by the Baltic Sea in Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland across from Finland, to the west by the sea across from Sweden, to the south by Latvia, a ...
.


History

Ilmar Reidla brought together different faculty groups in Tartu State University (TRÜ; name of Tartu University during occupation times) and folk dance group with 10–12 pairs was formed in 1945. Reidla acted as supervisor until 1948 when Ester Prinits took over.Ajalugu
Tartu Ülikooli Rahvakunstiansambel
In 1951
Estonian Agricultural Academy The Estonian University of Life Sciences (Estonian: ''Eesti Maaülikool'', EMÜ) located in Tartu, Estonia, is the former Estonian Agricultural University, which was established in 1951 and renamed and restructured in November 2005. Eesti Maaül ...
was formed from three Tartu State University faculties (Veterinary Science, Forestry, Agriculture). Students formed their own group under guidance of forestry student Ilmar Reidla. As of spring 1953 only four pairs had remained and they merged with Tartu Teachers Institute group whose leader was
Helju Mikkel Helju Mikkel (until 1936 Amberg, 1936–1948 Ambre, colloquially in Estonian Tantsumemm, Memm; 13 March 1925 – October 2017) was an Estonian folk dance, folk dancer and choreographer. Mikkel was born in Nõo, Tartu County. She was one of the f ...
. Soon new students started to join and in autumn 1954 it was already possible to form three different training groups. Folk orchestra and some singers also merged with the group. Newly formed ensemble was composed of over 40 students and it gave its first concert in 1955. Second half of 1950s turned out to be greatly successful. Number of students in ensemble grew and Helju Mikkel created several new dances. In 1956 TRÜ RKA performed as the representative of Estonian dance in Moscow. 1956 was also the year when the first Gaudeamus festival was held, that brought together university students from all three Baltic countries. It was organised by Richard Ritsing and Helju Mikkel. Ensemble celebrated its 20th jubilee in 1965. Ants Siimer and Kaljo Soonets set together a comprehensive overview of the ensembles activities over the years and based on this TRÜ RKA was given an honorable title of meritorious ensemble of
Estonian SSR The Estonian SSR,, russian: Эстонская ССР officially the Estonian Soviet Socialist Republic,, russian: Эстонская Советская Социалистическая Республика was an ethnically based adminis ...
. Mikkel retired in 1978 and Henn Tiivel, who had started dancing in ensemble already in 1966, took the role as the art director. Ensemble kept on giving a lot of performances in Estonia and in abroad. Restoration of the Estonian independence after
Soviet occupation During World War II, the Soviet Union occupied and annexed several countries effectively handed over by Nazi Germany in the secret Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact of 1939. These included the eastern regions of Poland (incorporated into two different ...
meant hard times for the ensemble as it lost its place for training. Opening up of new possibilities reduced the interest for folk dance and the number of students in ensemble started to shrink rapidly. Singers and musicians left as well. For 50th anniversary in 1995 many older dancers returned and an alumni group of folk ensemble formed. Aveli Asber ( :et) became the new art director in 2005. In 2000s folk dance has regained its popularity in Estonia. It has specially gained momentum among the younger generation and this has also expanded the ranks of ensemble. When TÜ RKA celebrated its 70th anniversary in 2015 in Vanemuise concert hall it had around 150 dancers. Next to the groups of university students there are also an alumni group and children group that compromises of the children of the alumni group.Karikakrapäev
Plank Film


Gallery

TRÜ RKA tantsijad 1950ndatel, keskel Helju Mikkel.JPG, 1950s, Helju Mikkel in center Seppade tants ülikoolide festivalil Harkovis 1969.JPG, Performing in
Kharkiv Kharkiv ( uk, wikt:Харків, Ха́рків, ), also known as Kharkov (russian: Харькoв, ), is the second-largest List of cities in Ukraine, city and List of hromadas of Ukraine, municipality in Ukraine.Vanemuine Vanemuine () is a theatre in Tartu, Estonia. It was the first Estonian language theatre. History ''1870–1906 The Beginning of the Beginning. Koidula’s Theatre, Wiera’s Theatre.'' On June 24, 1870 was the first day in Estonian theatre ...
(2011) TÜRKA Vanemuise suures majas, lasterühm esitamas tantsu Päikesejänkud.JPG, Children group (2011) TÜRKA Vanemuise suures majas, neiduderühm, tants Lina, 2011.JPG, Women's group (2011) TÜ Rahvakunstiansambel SIVO festivalil -- kolme kandi lood.JPG, Performing in
Netherlands ) , anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau") , image_map = , map_caption = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands , established_title = Before independence , established_date = Spanish Netherl ...
(2010) TÜRKA Saaremaal -- Polka burlesk.JPG, Concert in
Kuressaare Kuressaare () is a town on Saaremaa island in Estonia. It is the administrative centre of Saaremaa Parish and the capital of Saare County. Kuressaare is the westernmost town in Estonia. The recorded population on 1 January 2018 was 13,276. Th ...
in 2012 TÜ RKA Gaudeamusel Lätis.JPG, Gaudeamus festival in 2014


References


External links

* {{Authority control University of Tartu Folk dance companies 1945 establishments in Estonia