The place of gathering for the folklore group “Āre” is the Latvian city of Pļaviņas. The Daugava, Latvia’s largest river, winds through the entire city. Nowadays, the Daugava flows slowly and peacefully. Only when the water level drops are the edges of the Daugava’s banks, with their dolomite rock outcrops, revealed. There are meadows along the riverbanks — that’s why our collective is named “Āre”, which in Latvian folklore means a well-kept meadow.
In our songs, we celebrate the greatness, abundance, and vastness of our land. When times are hard, songs of strength help us; when the heart rejoices, we sing beloved folk songs; and hidden in the dowry chest are playful, even mischievous, tunes. We preserve this heritage of folk traditions and pass it on to the younger generation.
We sing at Solstice and other festive events. We light the fire according to the traditions of our Latvian ancestors — and always with games and dances, accompanied by the accordion.
Instrumental music is not our strong point, as we rely on our voices. But those who can’t hear us should come closer — the more, the merrier!
Artistic director: Agita Lindenberga
