Folklore group
Balsi
In review-concert of festival Baltica, Borkova, 11 December 2005
Name: Balsi
meaning: voices (balss, a voice - a variety of Latvian traditional song)
recommended transcription in English: Balsi
approximate pronunciation in English: Balsi
Listen pronunciation in AU format (12 Kb)
Created: January 1994
Location: Jekabpils, Selonia
Leader: Vita Talla
Number of participants: 7, of them by age:
from 25 to 44 years: 6
from 45 to 64 years: 1
and by gender:
females: 7
Forms of activity: sing, play music, dance, play roundelays
Musical insruments:
kokle (psaltery),
violin,
squeeze-box,
pipes,
bag-pipes,
monochord,
guimbarde,
mandoline,
drum,
bird,
threestick,
various rhythm instruments.
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Symbolism: Emblem-flag of Balsi is created by the participants
themselves. Jekabpils is near Daugava river, which divides different regions
of Latvia - therefore we have reed and grass from the Daugava coast as the
basis of emblem. They have always grown there - and will grow.
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Description: The folklore group Balsi was established in 1994,
though its participants have been engaged in traditional culture already for
a long time. Each participant plays several folk instruments. Our kokles have
been made by the participants themselves.
In repertoir of the group there are basically Selia and Augszeme songs,
roundelays and dances. We are orientated on preservation of traditions of
singing, playing music and calendar rites.
The group celebrates calendar holidays both in circle of the families, and
with inhabitants of Jekabpils at the ethnographical museum Sēļu sēta (Selian
farmstead). Seminars for teachers about traditional culture and evenings of
dancings and roundelays for schoolboys are conducted. The group acted on the
Selia holiday, participated in festivals Baltica-94 and Baltica-97,
has visited Lithuania.
In the Summer singing fest, Riga, 18 June 2005
Address:
in Latvian:
Vita Talla, Robežu 19, Jēkabpils, LV-5201, Latvija
in English:
Vita Talla, Robezu 19, Jekabpils, LV-5201, Latvia
Phone: (+371) 52-33016, 9508939
E-mail: balsi999_N@N_inbox.lv
Date of presenting the information: 1 September 1998, 6 February 2006
