News

To strengthen cooperation in the field of culture, the folk dance ensemble “Lielupe,” consisting of 22 people, has departed for Jelgava’s sister city, Carmel (USA), this week. The dancers will represent Jelgava at the International Arts Festival in Carmel.

Responding to the invitation from the Jelgava and Carmel Sister City Committee, “Lielupe,” under the leadership of Elita Simsone, has prepared a special dance program and will perform a total of nine shows in the USA. The main performances will be given for the residents of the sister city, Carmel, and the local Latvian community.

The International Arts Festival is very significant, bringing together talented artists from the USA and other countries in Carmel’s Arts & Design District. The event is attended by around 30,000 people over two days. This year, the festival takes place on the 28th and 29th of September in Carmel, where the folk dance ensemble “Lielupe” will deliver its longest performances, showcasing the richness of Latvian culture and traditions through dance.

In addition to the festival, our dancers will also perform for the Latvian-American communities, visiting Latvians in Chicago, further strengthening ties with compatriots outside Latvia.

For many years, “Lielupe” has represented Jelgava and Latvian folk dance traditions at various international events, and this visit to the USA is yet another testament to the ensemble’s high artistic level. The ensemble has previously performed in the USA, Canada, Mexico, Taiwan, Thailand, Brazil, China, Nepal, Indonesia, Iran, Turkey, and many European countries.