About organisation
The folklore group "Laukis" from Vilnius, led by Lijana Šarkaitė-Viluma, founded in 2009, performs folk songs from all Lithuanian ethnographic regions. Among other fields of activity the group focus a lot on folklore expeditions in Lithuania, organised every summer and on the 11th of March – the Day of Restoration of Independence of Lithuania. Every year at the review of Vilnius’ folklore groups “Ulioj bitelė” (A merry bee – in Lithuanian) the group “Laukis” presents a programme from a series “Laukis’ expeditions” consisting of folklore collected by themselves. This experience of recording the folklore, direct perception of living traditions is deeply cherished. It gives depth, meaning and inspiration to the concert practices of the group, the events it organises, but also gives direction to the evolution of the group‘s philosophy. The group is named "Laukis" after a mythical magical horse with a white mark (a star or a moon) on its forehead acting in Lithuanian fairy tales.
Projects
The group has implemented 2 projects: “Preservation of Lithuanian Traditional Cultural Heritage in Šakiai district” and “Preservation of Lithuanian Traditional Cultural Heritage in Joniškis district”. A series of various concert programmes prepared and performed at International festivals, various events in Lithuania and abroad, over 150 folklore singing and dancing events for adults, children (at kindergartens) and youth (at schools) organised. The group has performed for the Lithuanians of Punsk, Pelesa, Lida, Rymdziuny, Gardin and Moscow. It also frequently perform in the Eastern Lithuania, actively participates in cultural events of Vilnius and Lithuania. In 2015 the group has recorded the CD “Par gireli juojau” (I was riding my horse through the woods – in Lithuanian).
