“September Folklore Evenings” is an international folklore festival, organised by JSKD Ptuj in cooperation with local folklore associations. This year, the festival is taking place for the second time. At the first festival, the organisers invited the folklore groups from Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Macedonia, Resia valley, and Bela Krajina, along with local folklore groups. In five evenings, groups with various traditions will present themselves through dance, singing, and music.
On the second evening, the following folklore groups will perform: KUD Lola, Sarajevo; KUD Kitka, Dračevo (MAK); FD Markovci, FS KD Cirkulane.
KUD LOLA SARAJEVO (established in 1946), with more than 500 members, already performed on every continent. The main mission of the ensemble is nurturing tradition. Therefore, the ensemble of folk dances consists of four children’s groups, two youth groups, a senior group, folk and tamboura orchestra, solo singers, and a vocal group. The group is presenting the traditional dances from Bosnia and Herzegovina – regardless of the national or ethnic origins of the dances. They perform 25 different choreographies. The folklore ensemble is accompanied by the national orchestra, that strives for genuine representation, uses classical musical instruments, as well as original folk instruments to accompany dances.
KUD KITKA DRAČEVO (established in 1968) strives to preserve the Macedonian folklore tradition. The initial programme was based on original songs and dances, and promoted the tradition of Skopje and its wider region. In time, the group added contemporary stage expressiveness to their performances. The group performs over 20 authentic dances – kolo and others. Their work was awarded numerous times at international festivals in Italy, Turkey, Switzerland, Ukraine, Romania, Bolgaria.
FOLKLORE GROUP ANTON JOŽE ŠTRAFELA MARKOVCI was established in 1938. In 1939, Janez Feguš gathered together some young boys and girls, and also created the folklore dance group. After the Great War, the married couple Anton and Terezija Trafela continued the initial work of Janez Feguš. Between the years 1950 and 2006, the group was led by Terezija and Jože Štrafel, Franc Kolarič (successfully leading the group for 36 years, and achieving great results), and Milan Gabrovec. since 2006, the expert guidance of the group was taken care of by Peter Bezjak, who gathered the dances together, and made sure the group is creating new and quality programme. With the help of Marija Makarovič in 2008, the group made a research of clothing culture from the Markovci area, which resulted in new costumes being presented at the group’s 70th anniversary.
FOLKLORE GROUP CIRKULANE celebrates its sixth birthday. Through the years, the dancers became close friends, strengthening the will to get to know and recreate the folk tradition and dances of our ancestors. The group also takes part at festivals abroad, and is thus getting to know the dance tradition of various nations of the world.
The tickets are available at JSKD Ptuj (Jadranska 13, weekdays between 8.00 and 15.00) and at the tourist information office in Ptuj (Slovenski Trg 5, every day between 9.00 and 20.00).