1. NATIONAL COSTUME AND DANCES LITHUANIA Overcoming xenofobia
through a deeper understanding European cultures 2010-2012 Naisiai
Basic School Lithuania
2. INTRODUCTION Written and iconographic facts about Lithuanian
national costume reach back to the 17th century. Not until the 19th
century, however, do we find more extensive data about country
attire that reflects the entire territory of Lithuania. Museums
hold collections of traditional costumes from the 18th-20th
century. Lithuanian peasants wore clothes made from hand- woven
cloth nearly until the end of the 19th century. Shirt material was
made from flax grown and spun at home. Among linen clothes were
patterned aprons, wimples, kerchiefs. Strict rules were applied to
judging flax quality in the Lithuanian countryside. The skill of
the weaver was evaluated based on thinness, whiteness, and
intricacy of weaving techniques. Every woman desired to be known as
a great weaver. Some wimples from Auktaitija and linen stoles from
Suvalkija were so thin that they were almost transparent.
3. WOMANS AND MANSCOSTUME Womens summer costume in the19th
century consisted of a long shirt, two or more skirts, an apron, a
bodice, and shoes. Sash was usually added as well as various
scarves, beads, handkerchiefs and other accessories. Young women
would decorate their heads with flowers, wreaths, and silk ribbons.
Married women always covered their hair with bonnets, wimples or
scarves. In cold weather women wore long and short caftan-type
clothes (in Lith. sermga, sermgl), sometimes fur coats. A mans
costume was similar to a horsemans costume. Lithuanian folklore
abounds in references to the horse as an inseparable companion, and
the word "rider" is used as a synonym for a "young man" (in
4. Ethnographic areas 19th century Lithuania consisted of 5
ethnographic areas: Auktaitija, emaitija, Dzkija, Suvalkija, and
Lithuania Minor (Klaipda region). Each area was distinct in its own
dress style and image resulting from ancient tribal differences and
later history of the country. Structural parts of the costume were
the same, but differences were found in the cut of clothes, their
colors, ornaments, and in a few additional pieces and
accessories.
5. The clothing of AuktaitijaGirl with galloon. Woman with
wimple.
6. The Clothing of emaitija Woman with shawl. ManGirl with
rang. with sermga.
7. The Clothing of Dzkija Womans and mansGirls costume.
costumes.
8. The Clothing of Suvalkija Womans and mansGirls costume.
costumes.
9. The Clothing of Lithuania Minor(Klaipda region) Womans and
mansGirls costume. costumes.
10. Intoduction of dances Dances (okiai). These dances are
accompanied by instrumental music and sometimes singing as well.
Separate pairs dance in loosely structured form space while only
group follow a large plan. Dances consist of consecutively repeated
movements, steps and figures. Staged art is constantly looking for
new forms, new means of expression. This include staged dance.
Staged dance is not only influenced by Lithuanian neighbors, but by
general cultural environment as well. Folk dance is being
constantly created anew, it moves out from the sphere of the mode
of life as onto the stage where it is meant to be looked at. The
choreographer and his personal outlook on life plays a large role
here because he takes on creators producer function and the public
audience remain only as users, mostly passive. Concert programs are
constantly in demand for new dances, which are created by
individual choreographers, however continually moves away from the
folklore tradition. The staged dance is becoming more important in
the community and such dances are often referred to as folk dances
but actually they have been losing their creative communal
principles. Folk choreography objectively remains as an aesthetic
value, but many professionals look at it as of lesser creative
value. They rely mostly on their own generalized cultural
background. Therefore a large number of these dances are thought-up
and only their titles that are taken from folk dances that remain.
Folk dances about the mode of life are being replaced by popular
dance.