Lithuanians in the News
8th October, 2006
Unstoppable Amazing "Žuvėdra"!
"Žuvėdra" performs the winning "Cuba" routine.
Photo courtesy "Lietuvos Rytas", M.Kulbis
The "Žuvėdra" Dancesport Ensemble from Klaipėda University continues to astound and enchant dancesport enthusiasts. Just over two weeks ago on Septemeber 23, 2006 "Žuvėdra" again won Gold in the European Latin American Dancesprt Championship, which this year was held in Vilnius in front of an enthusiastic home audience. It is now for the fourth year in a row that "Žuvėdra" has won the European Latin American ensemble championship, making them to date the European Champions six times and the World Champions five times
What is truly remarkable is that this year "Žuvėdra" had also entered a second junior team "Žuvėdra II", hoping that they would make it at least to the finals, and, lo and behold, "Žuvėdra II" almost wins a medal, finishing in fourth place! The success of "Žuvėdra" senior is also amazing, as this year the team was competing with five new inexperienced dancers, but all the hard work, superb coaching and enthusiasm paid off. "Žuvėdra’s" main rivals continued to be two German teams, the "Gruen Gold Club" of Bremen which came second and TSG ensemble from Bremenhafen came third. In the competition there were 14 teams from 7 countries.
"Žuvėdra II" team performs the "Viva Espana" routine.
Photo courtesy "Lietuvos Žinios"
The coaches of "Žuvėdra", Skaistė and Romaldas Idzelevičius, were ecstatic with the success of the two teams, as was all of Lithuania. "Žuvėdra I" won with a new routine "Cuba", while "Žuvėdra II" performed the "Viva Espana" routine with which the senior team had won success earlier. "Žuvėdra" is now working hard getting ready for the World Championships on December 2, 2006, in Germany.
Friends of Lithuanian Ballet (FLB) in Australia and the Australian Lithuanian Community of Sydney have been fund raising to support "Žuvėdra" through functions in Sydney and Melbourne and a promotional DVD, featuring "Žuvėdra’s" 40th Anniversary concert in Klaipėda in 2005. "Žuvėdra" has been very appreciative for the support from Australia. Following their recent success and after many years of struggling to find sponsors, the Lithuanian Government has at last awarded "Žuvėdra" prize money of 100,000 Lt. "Žuvėdra’s" many admirers in Australia wish "Žuvėdra" success in the forthcoming championships in December!

Further information: www.lrytas.lt 25/9/06,   www.lzinios.lt 26/9/06,    www.klaipeda.daily.lt 26/9/06,    www.omni.lt 27/9/06