   The children and youth folklore ensemble “Gers smuoks” (25 members) of Šilalė District Municipality Culture Centre is celebrating its thirteenth year of activity. Since 2018, the ensemble has been led by Ilona Raudonienė. The ensemble was founded and for eight years was directed by Irmina Kėblienė and Jolanta Kažukauskienė.
   The ensemble’s program includes traditional Lithuanian and Samogitian folk songs, traditional folk dances, circle dances, and games. The group actively participates in numerous district, Samogitian region, and national events, festivals, competitions, and ethnocultural evenings, and also contributes significantly to organizing traditional ethnocultural camps and other events promoting ethnoculture.
   For many years, members of the ensemble have participated in the national folk dance contest “Patrepsynė”, where they have often become nominees and, in 2013, were the national winners.
   Since 2012, the folklore ensemble has been a regular participant in the Lithuanian Song Festivals (in 2018, it was awarded Category II). In 2019, the group participated in the international folklore festival “Prague Days”, and in 2019 and 2020 appeared on the national TV show “Duokim garo”. The ensemble “Gers smuoks” also serves as the coordinator of the national contest “The Whole School Dances” in Šilalė district. On February 20, 2020, the ensemble was invited to present traditional dances and the national ethnocultural initiative “All Lithuania Dances” at the 21st International Vilnius Book Fair.
   On April 15, 2022, the instrumental group of the folklore ensemble “Gers smuoks” performed a joint program at the national folk music festival “Trimitatis” in Tauragė. On April 22, 2022, the ensemble participated in the national creative education event “Sukas, sukas malūnėlis, čiauška, šėlsta jaunimėlis” during Jurginės Day at the Raudėnai Multifunctional School Center in Šiauliai district.
   On May 19, 2022, at the national traditional dance contest “Patrepsynė” held in Šiauliai, three couples from the folklore ensemble became winners in one of the dance categories. In the same year, “Gers smuoks” participated in the Western Song Festival. On June 2–4, the ensemble represented Šilalė district at the Tauragė County Song Festival “The Children of Karšuva Land”. On July 12–15, they performed at the international folklore festival “Europeade 2022” in Klaipėda. From August 24–28, “Gers smuoks”, together with the Mažeikiai folklore ensemble “Alksna”, performed at the international folklore festival “Lipa kust” in Latvia.
    On May 4, 2023, the folklore ensemble “Gers smuoks” contributed to the international Erasmus+ project at Pajūris St. Biržiškis Gymnasium, organizing an evening for project guests from abroad.
   On May 19, 2023, the ensemble participated in the national “Šilo gegužinė” event in the Šilalė city pine forest.
   On June 16, 2023, the ensemble presented a concert program at the national children and youth folklore festival “Pyvelie žaliuo”.
   On July 8, 2023, they took part in the international folk festival “Saulės žiedas” in Šiauliai.
   On July 14, 2023, they performed at the national folk festival “Giedu giesmelę”, dedicated to the 770th anniversary of Laukuva town.
   The ensemble also participated in the Tauragė County traditional dance evening “Jaunimėli, eikš pas mus” and in the Samogitian region’s ethnocultural night dedicated to the Year of the Horse.
   In 2024, the Šilalė District Municipality Culture Centre folklore ensemble “Gers smuoks” participated in the Lithuanian Song Festival.
   Artistic director: Ilona Raudonienė
