The multi-sensory one-time performance “Dawn till Dusk” fused contemporary dance with live music interpretations of Estonian mythology, folklore, and archival recordings dating back to the beginning of the 20th century.
The show guided viewers through a year of folk calendar traditions incorporating tales of mystic rituals, old and new folklore tunes, and traditions that have shaped modern-day understandings and practices of societal and social norms.
Interpretation by Laube & Tamm, expressed through dance and live music, merged contemporary interpretations with old traditions and rituals. “Ancient folklore traditions and especially how people lived their lives in harmony with nature is something that guides my personal life. Happiness used to be derived from human interactions and simple traditions such as going to the sauna, preparing food together, or telling stories amongst friends and family. Finding unique traditions to share with New York City audiences has been an exciting undertaking that hopefully will inspire people to find harmony within themselves,” was how Tamm described the concept behind the performance.
The performance of “Dawn till Dusk” featured four dancers and three musicians, led by Diina Tamm (dance, choreography, stage direction) and Valev Laube (violin, music direction, design), starring Victoria Vikström (dance), Jose Amor Christensen (dance), Sean Mejia (dance), Charlie Rauh (guitar), and David Fletcher (bass, cajon).
Diina Tamm is a New York-based professional dancer and choreographer originally from Tallinn, Estonia. Her performance credits include the opening number of Macy’s Thanksgiving parade, MTV’s TRL show, Good Morning America, Fuerza Bruta, the US Open, House of Yes, and many more. Her choreography credits include New York Fashion Week, the Telluride Aids Benefit Gala, RAW Artist Showcase, and an Estonian folk culture-inspired performance at the National Gallery of Art in Washington D.C.
Valev Laube is a New York-based brand manager, designer, and entrepreneur with a background in music. As a musician, Laube has performed all across Europe and North America promoting and presenting contemporary Northern-European and Estonian folk-inspired original music. His latest solo concert “The Meaning of My Melody” was performed as part of the Rochester Fringe Festival in Rochester, NY; at the UWC Adriatic in Trieste, Italy, and in Ghent, Belgium. His co-produced multidisciplinary concert “Tonality of Culture ” was selected to be part of the European Week at the National Gallery of Art (Washington D.C.) in 2017. As a brand manager and producer he has worked on multiple entertainment shows in New York City including Singing Revolution: The Musical, Kalevala the Musical, and many others.
Musically, the show incorporated old archival recordings, folk tunes, as well as Valev Laube’s own work.
The most memorable dance numbers included Kadri and Mart’s Days’ celebrations, ancient traditions in the folklore of Estonia and many Northern countries where girls and boys respectively visit neighboring families in costumes to sing and bring good luck, and a dance number about sauna traditions.
The main sponsor of the event was the Estonian American National Council, the show was brought to you thanks to the generous support of Amest Foods, The VL Studios, the New York Estonian House, the Consulate General of Estonia in New York, and nearly 30 private supporters from all across the United States.
Valev Laube
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