Choirs and Dance Ensembles of Latvian Russians

Russian folk and classical culture gives people a spiritual strength, whatever conditions Russians are living in. And in present-day Latvia many Russian families do their best to introduce their children to Russian folk traditions. In Latvia there are dozens of professional and hundreds of amateur Russian ensembles and choirs working today, many of which have been around for several years. These ensembles have found acclaim far beyond Latvia, and have been winners of many international competitions. Russian groups never shut themselves away in their Russian communities; or in their national culture. Their repertoires always include dances and songs of different national groups of Latvia, most of all that of ethnic Latvian culture. The principles of mutual respect and tolerance lie at the heart of the work of the Russian creative groups in present-day Latvia.

The restoring of independence to Latvia gave a fresh impulse to the preservation and development of Russian traditional culture in this country. In spite of the difficulties, proponents of Russian culture do everything incumbent upon them to pass on the traditions of their ancestors to future generations.