XXVIII Song and XXI Dance Celebration Year Begins with Ticket Sales and Pre-Rehearsal Rush

The organizers of the XXVIII Song and XXI Dance Celebration invited journalists today to the Estonian Open Air Museum at noon to provide an overview of the “Iseoma” Song and Dance Celebration year and to officially launch ticket sales for the summer grand event. Starting this week, the groups preparing for the event will have about 550 regional pre-rehearsals ahead of them.

According to Margus Toomla, the director of the Estonian Song and Dance Celebration Foundation, the number of participants in the XXVIII Song and XXI Dance Celebration is growing rapidly. “In addition to tens of thousands of singers, dancers, and musicians, whose regional pre-rehearsals will begin in the coming days, from today we will also be joined by thousands of ticket-buying spectators. Their participation and the several-hour-long applause, as is customary at such a grand event, is the most important recognition and thanks to our performers for their hard work,” said Toomla.

The preparations for the Song and Dance Celebration are gaining momentum, according to Toomla. “Day by day, new working groups are starting their work, and the organizing team is constantly growing with new people who, unlike singers and dancers, will remain hidden from the spectators’ eyes, but whose dedication, competence, and efforts lay the foundation for the Song and Dance Celebration, which will securely hold and support this grand event.”

For the XXVIII Song Celebration, more than 1,000 choirs and orchestras are preparing, with meetings with the artistic team set to take place in over 300 regional pre-rehearsals starting from January 10. According to artistic director Heli Jürgenson, the focus of the Song Celebration is on our own songs and dialects. “The opening concert of the Song Celebration will focus primarily on dialects and the dialectal regions of the Estonian language. We aim to showcase our musical heritage and also those who have preserved these songs for us, including composers who have been captivated by this material. The concert program will include works by Miina Härma, Marta Saar, Cyrillus Kreek, Peeter Süda, Eduard Tubin, Veljo Tormis, and Ester Mägi,” said Jürgenson.

The second concert of the Song Celebration, according to the artistic director, will be a classic large-scale concert featuring choirs and orchestras. “Each program will feature dialectal songs, but also classical songs from past Song Celebrations and new compositions. Several new patriotic songs and new arrangements by different composers will be presented, all created specifically for our ‘Iseoma’ Song Celebration,” Jürgenson highlighted.

For the XXI Dance Celebration, over 900 groups in Estonia and nearly 40 dance ensembles abroad are preparing. According to the chief choreographer Helena-Mariana Reimann, 247 regional pre-rehearsals will take place from January 22 to March 30. The concept of the Dance Celebration, created by Reimann, tells the story of preparing for a family reunion. “Our traditions and customs are different across Estonia, just as the personalities in our families are,” said Reimann. She explained, “To emphasize the diversity of regions, a new categorization has been created. Estonia has been divided into eight regions: Northern Coast, Western Coast, Sakala, Tartu-Voore, Pärnu County, Southeastern Region, Central Plains, and the Capital. Additionally, there is a separate category for groups based outside of Estonia, called ‘Worldwide.’ This categorization will allow more mixed groups to participate in the celebration, as participation is based on regional affiliation rather than national level, and this also allows for a deeper exploration of regional dances, music, games, and songs.”

According to Helin Pihlap, the creative director of the Folk Music Celebration, nearly 130 folk music groups and solo musicians will meet in regional pre-rehearsals starting from January 25, held four times in total. Pihlap emphasized that the focus of the Folk Music Celebration is on folk music itself in all its diversity. “It will feature authentic traditions, honoring older musicians, as well as new arrangements and original compositions that highlight those who are continuing the tradition today. There will be songs and plenty of dance music, inviting everyone to dance along. Each program will also feature a solo piece by a true master of the genre – for example, in the case of the Hiiumaa kannel, the ensemble Puuluup will perform,” said Helin Pihlap.

Starting today, tickets for the XXVIII Song and XXI Dance Celebration “Iseoma” can be purchased from the Song Celebration website and all Piletilevi sales points. Tickets are available at a discounted price until the end of May. According to Margus Toomla, the tickets for both the Song and Dance Celebrations are sold in limited quantities, so it is advisable to purchase them as early as possible. “At the Kalevi Stadium, dance performances can be watched from the seating sections, and as was the case last time, large screens placed along the edge of the field will make the dance patterns clearly visible to all spectators. To attend the Song Celebration, you can choose between tickets for numbered seating in the seating sections and general area tickets,” Toomla described.

The dancers will perform three shows at Kalevi Stadium in Tallinn on July 3 and 4, with approximately 10,000 spectators per performance. The folk musicians will give their concert on July 4 at Freedom Square. The concert is free for everyone.

The grand procession of all participants and the opening concert of the Song Celebration will take place on Saturday, July 5, and the traditional grand concert will be held on Sunday, July 6. The opening concert will accommodate around 48,000 spectators, and the grand concert will host 58,000 ticket-holders.

The XXVIII Song and XXI Dance Celebration will take place from July 3 to 6, 2025, in Tallinn. The artistic director of the Song Celebration is Heli Jürgenson, the chief choreographer of the Dance Celebration is Helena-Mariana Reimann, and the creative director of the Folk Music Celebration is Helin Pihlap. The organizer of the Song and Dance Celebration is the Estonian Song and Dance Celebration Foundation.