The leader of the Lithuanian folk dance ensemble “Grandinele” ( Panevezys , Lithuania) Zita Rimkuviene is writing this letter to You. Our dance ensemble is interested to take part in the festival in Your country. We hope You are organizing a festival in the summer 2003. It would be great to participate in it. There before our ensemble would like to keep in touch with You.

Now some facts about the folk dance ensemble “Grandinele”.

The ensemble was faunded in 1977. It began its activities when children and youth were unite into the national dance circle in Panevėžys Building Trust Culture and Sport Palace in Panevėžys. It has become the folk dance ensemble “Grandinėlė” after 15 years of it’s existence. It’s founder and present leader is the Emnent Lithuanian Culture worker – choreographer – ballet master – Zita Rimkuvienė.

The folk  dance ensemble “Grandinėlė” consist of 5 group of more than 100 young dancers (ages from 7 – 25 ). The ensemble “Grandinėlė” dances Lithuanian folk dances, roundelays, games, the newest folk stage compositions created by Lithuanian ballet masters. Country – side orchestra and singers acompany the dance groups.

The ensemble “Grandinėlė” took party in the many dance and song festivals in Panevėžys and it’s regions, made various perfomances, participated in compettions: 1985, 1987, 1990, 1994, 1998 – participated in the Republican song and dance festival in Vilnius (Lithuania); 1990 – took part in the dance festival in Tallinn (Estonia); 1991 – participated in the perfomances in the Fourth World Lithuanian Sport’s Games in Kaunas (Lithuania); 1994 – represented Lithuania in Cultural Days in Punsk (Poland); 1996, 1998 – represented Lithuania in Lunen (Germany); 1996 – Lithuanian folk dance festival Chicago (USA), 2000 - Lithuanian folk dance festival in Toronto (Canada).

The ensemble “Grandinėlė” participated in 35 International dance festivals such us: 1991 – Pinsk (Belarus); 1991, 1994 – Bielsko Biala (Poland); 1992, 1997 – St. Maixent (France); 1993 – Odorn (Holland), Reti (Belgium); 1994 – Izegem (Belgium); 1995 – Elblag (Poland), Arhus (Denmark), the First Lithuanian Music and Dance Festival “Ezeru Sietuva”, 1995, 1997, 1999 – Alnwick (England); 1996 –Pavullo (Italy); 1997 –Stanbul (Turkey); 1997 – Bliestransbach (Germany); 1998 – Quebec (Canada), Ourence (Spain), Tlaxcala (Mexico); 1999 – Fridek-Mistek (Czechen), Breclav (Czechen), Matelica,Pavullo (Italy),2000 - Ourense (Spain), Canary Island, Brno (Czechen), Bratislava (Slovakia), Kartnen (Austria), Portugal, 2001- Klatowy (Czechen), Karlsruhe (Germany), Thessaloniki (Greece), 2002 – Edegem (Belgium), Sale (Maroc), Kety (Poland).

Folk dance ensemble “Grandinėlė” is awarded folk song and dance festivals diplomas and souvenirs.

PYNIMELIS (kind of festoon) was founded in 1986. lt is an amateur folk group and the representa-tional folk ensemble for the City of Panevezys , Lithuania . The repertoire of the ensemble consists of authentie and stylised folk songs, tunes and dances, and the same composed and arranged by the Lithuanian professional composers and choreographers for exclusive first night performance by the PYNIMELIS. Talented kids are admitted to the PYNIMELIS when they are 6 to years old. They are taught folklore, Lithuanian customs and traditions, signing, dancing, etc. The ensemble unites about 370 lovers of folk art directed by 8 professional instructors.

The biggest in number is the dancers' group. There are two preparatory and flye performing dance teams. The teams are made up depending on the age of dancers:
6 to 8 , 9 to 11, 12 to 14, 1 5 to 16, and 17 to 1 8 yens of age.

The orchestra consists of two bands: one band playing archaic Lithuanian instruments (such as birbyné, lumzdelis, kanklès, skrabalai, skuduèiai, ragelis), and the other band playing traditional village instruments (accordion, harmonica, violin, clarinet, bass, trumpet, trombone, percussion, etc.) Most solos are perforined by the national woodwinds like BIRBYNE (various size reed pipes with a horn bell), LUMZDELIS (very flexible longitudinal pipc giving similar-to-flute sound). Pleasant-to-car sounds are provided by the KANKLTS (ancient string instrument similar to kantele). The national percussion instrument SKRABALAI (in a way similar to xylophone) will add fresh and original sounding to the orchestra. SKUDUClAl - the most archaic of the Lithuanian instruments - are wooden single tone pipes, and each member of a group of performers is playing two or three pipes to produce homophonic or polyphonie harmony of sounds.

The choirs (about 50 singers) consists of two groups: preparatory and principal. While in the preparatory group the kids are trained to improve their vocal skills. The principal choir consists of about 30 singers. All national dances are performed to vocal and instrumental accompaniment, so all the three - dancers, choir and orchestra - are active on stage during the most of the performance time. All performers wear Lithuanian national costumes.

PYNIMELIS has participated in folklore festivals and gave concerts in the following countries:

1989 - Russia
1991 - England , Latvia
1992 - Germany
1994 - Ukraine , Latvia , Poland , Germany , France
1995 - Germany , France , The Netherlands
1996 - Latvia , England , Spain , France
1997 - Latvia , Turkey , The Netherlands , Germany , England , Belgium , Poland
1998 - Australia , Turkey , Hungary , Estonia , England , Spain
1999 - Latvia , France , Belgium , England , Spain , Germany , Tunesia
2000 - Latvia , the Netherlands ,  Czech Republic , France
2001 - Germany , Australia , Austria , Poland