here we go...
it’s the year of 1988. viljandi. the pearl of southern estonia. our counrty is revolting for its independence. big changes are on their way.
estonian dance-scene is not an exception. the ice starts to crack. so far there has been a huge dark spot on the map of estonian dance concerning creative dance of children and youngsters. but when eve noormets (b. 1964, graduated tallinn university as a choreographer) starts to live in viljandi and and work in viljandi hobby centre, many things change. the situation itself causes that. primarily eve wishes to begin her work as a folk-dance teacher (because that’s what she was graduated to do) but since this place is already filled she has to figure out something else…
this “something else” is working with children and youngsters. she makes a questioning among the pupils of viljandi’s secondary schools in order to find out if anybody is interested in working with her, and surprise, surprise – there is some response. so, in september 1988 two groups are formed (younger girls and a bit older girls) which means that the beginning of the studio that nowadays is known as eve stuudio, is done.
the trainings naturally bring along performances. the scale is wide – the girls perform eve’s choreography in the literal sense of the word everywhere around estonia: from various culture meetings to parties of different companies and firms. eve’s girls have also participated in koolitants competition since the beginning of its existence (and successfully). but you cannot perform without a proper name. nobody exactly remembers who first called the group “eve stuudio” but in 1991 the name is there.
the winter of 1993. eve is at home suffering from chickenpox for two weeks. sad but true... within these two weeks she come to a new big idea – what if i’d organise a meeting in viljandi for all those groups that practice “contemporary dance” for children. the reason for the birth of such idea is again rather practical - her choreography is something which doesn’t fit under the name “folk-dance” nor “competitive couple dancing”. and since she knew that there are a few more dance-groups in estonia by that time that were afflicted by lack of the same output, eve decides to collect them all together for just one beautiful day in viljandi.
on the 1st of june 1993 the festival called “laste tantsu festival” (“children dance festival”) takes place in viljandi koidu seltsimaja. the budget of the first meeting is 25 estonian crones which covers the transport of the participants from viljandi railways station to the town. that moment eve has no idea what she has given birth to… for three years the festival is called “laste (children) dance festival” but since the participants of the festival grow older, from 1996 until now the festival is called “noore tantsu festival” (young dance festival - notafe). being one of the most important contemporary dance events in estonia, notafe has been operating in estonia for ten years now, bringing in viljandi hundreds of young dance-enthusiasts. many important dance-teachers and choreographers from all around the world have given their workshops in the frame of notafe’s (international summer) school.
in the middle of 199oies eve starts her self-improvement on different subjects of contemporary dance. she takes the courses of dance-therapy in holland. 1998 is the first time she participates in ECITE (european contact improvisation teachers exchange) in lillsved, sweden. (let it be mentioned that in the summer of 2oo5 she is the main organizer and the hostess of ECITE’s anniversary-conference in viljandi, estonia.)
but alongside with eve’s work with children and youngsters, she also creates choreography in “ugala” theatre in viljandi and other professional drama-theatres around estonia. (for many years she also teaches dance and improvisation in viljandi culture academy.) from these meetings rises the idea to invite professional actors and directors to share their knowledge and experience with studio-members. in the issue, kaarin raid (director), piret rauk (actress) and martin algus (actor) start to give classes in eve stuudio.
for almost ten years eve stuudio is developed around and by three persons - they are the students of eve studio since the beginning of its existence: anneli and evelin vassar, kairi merilai. they are the first graduators of the studio in 1997. 1997 is also important because of the fact that eve noormets starts to teach and work with the drama-acting students in viljandi culture academy’s 3rd graduators group. from this class she finds teachers and directors who later become deeply involved with the work of eve stuudio: for instance tarmo tagamets, erni kask, anti kobin and peeter rästas.
for many years eve studio’s trainings take place at rather different spaces in viljandi. to be a member of eve stuudio means for a long time that you simply run from one part of the town to another. on the 1st of april 1995 the situation changes – in the building of viljandi hobby centre the brand new studio room for eve stuudio is opened (address: jakobsoni 11). at that moment it is one of the most contemporary dance-spaces in estonia. from now on the work becomes much more convenient. but since 2000 eve stuudio has its resident space (called “the white room”) in the hobby centre’s new building at jakobsoni 47c.
in 1995 eve studio’s groups have their first tour outside of estonia where the children and youngsters visit and perform in sweden, germany and holland. during the 18 years of eve stuudio’s existence the groups have also visited latvia, finland, belgium and performed on very different occasions, staring with various festivals and ending with folk-parties, and on very different places, such as: town-hall squares, schools, kinder-gardens, supermarkets, retirement homes…
one of the traditions in eve stuudio that has been there since the beginning and has been adored by all the studio-members, is the tradition of summer-camps where alongside with leisure and simply having fun, training has also a major part. eve stuudio has organised summer-camps with good partners as well. for example in 2oo2 there was a camp together with t-stuudio from haapsalu.
although eve noormets has been the main teacher in her studio throughout the years, the organisation has always been opened for any kind of good and innovative influences. co-operation with professional guest-teachers from estonia and abroad has been offering possibilities for studio-members to keep themselves aware of dance, theatre, music, sports and figurative arts. it is offering them possibilities to be in fit both mentally and physically. also, no physical or mental defect has been a hindrance to be a member of eve stuudio when person him- or herself has enough will. the studio has gone through a bad experiment too - one year there were entrance examination in order to join eve-stuudio… nothing positive came out of this experiment and it won’t happen again.
in 2oo1 after the graduation of viljandi culture academy an actor (a former student of eve) erni kask starts to work as a resident-teacher in eve studio. a few years later an actor tarmo tagamets (also a former student of eve) joins him. in the spring of 2oo4 eve stuudio is proud to present the birth of two “theatre” productions “aeglane mälestus” (directed by tarmo tagamets) and “mp.8” (directed by erni kask). both pieces are performed in viljandi but also at “lonks’04” festival in haapsalu. actors of this two pieces are formed into a theatre-group of eve stuudio. in 2005 “puhk.pill” (directed by tarmo tagamets) and “kui vana sa oled?/how old are you?” (directed by erni kask) premiere. the theatre-group of eve stuudio keeps on working under the guidance of tarmo and erni, synthesising dance, theatre and improvisation of youngsters.
in january 2oo6 there are 7 groups of young dancers aged between 4-18 with 76 members of eve stuudio.
so the history has been done our way. let’s not talk about what have the graduators and members of eve stuudio gained – it is well-know that a lot… all the prizes and titles are irrelevant at this point. let’s just mention one thing: in 2005 eve noormets received the order of honour from the President of the Republic of Estonia…
conclusion? the start of eve stuudio in 1988 was right – the studio is in action, breathing and developing. in september 2oo7 eve studio will start its 20th anniversary season with a big concert-gala where to we welcome all of our people from the present and from the past… you are welcomed. indeed.
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