Kuljus, the folk dance ensemble of Tallinn University of Technology

Kuljus, the folk dance ensemble of Tallinn University of Technology, celebrates its 70th anniversary with the anniversary concert "Octagram."From the beginning of times, Estonians have believed in signs - they have been pressed into the soft bread dough and made on the yet unfinished haystack, left on the threshold when leaving home and shown from the hurting sport of the body. A separate sign and symbol have been developed for every life event, which defended against evil in everyday life and gave strength in difficult moments. The most powerful of all signs until this day is the Octagram. The Octagram is an usher of luck that protects people from mistakes, brings back health, and keeps diseases away. Symbolizing the fertility of the earth, the cardinal points, and connecting the earth and the sky, the Octagram marks the place of the person in the world.The Octagram also holds Kuljus in his might - after all, these motifs of Octagram can be found both in the dance figures by Salme Valgemäe, beloved creator of Kuljus as well as in the patterns of folk costumes. The often unnoticeable sign protects the dancers, shows the right direction and confirms that Kuljus is the right place for us.Over the decades, Kuljus has taken on a number of challenges, overcome complexities, achieved small and big wins, and refuted myths. At the completion of its 70 years of operation, the dance ensemble brings to the stage a story about growing into a member of Kuljus, sharing a dancer's journey with the spectators from the first test rehearsal until conquering of larger stages. It is a story that conceals the power of the Octogram that is protected by its magic and held by its symbolic power.