Vilnis Birnbaums
1962
Choreographer, designer
Born 5 April 1962 in Seattle, USA. As a child, danced folk dances, learned the fundamentals of ballet and jazz dance. Was a long-time dancer with the Trejdeksnītis dance group in Seattle, later taking over as director (1986–1993). Lecturer at the Latvian Dance Summer School Kursa (1981, 1984, 1985).
Birnbaums has composed many new dances and folk-dance arrangements, which have been performed at Dance Celebrations and received awards at dance competitions – at the 9th Latvian Song Festival in Canada (1991), his dance Sijā auzas, tautu meita (Sift the Oats, Folk-maid) won 1st prize, at the 12th West Coast Latvian Song Festival (1992), he is the director of dance and creates choreography for the prologue and finale of the grand performance.
In Latvia, his dance Uz dāldera riņķi griež (Spin on the Dollar) is performed at the 11th Dance Celebration, but at the 12th Dance Celebration, Mēnestiņis nakti brauca (The Moon Travels at Night) was staged, having won a prize in the New-dance competition, and was later included in the 11th US Song Festival in Chicago. At the US Song and Dance Festival (2012) new-dance review, three of Birnbaums’ dances – Visi mani gosti bija (Everyone Stayed with me), Diždeja (Stately Dance) and Žīga (Jig), won 1st prize in their respective categories.
A Chief choreographer at the 12th Dance Celebration, Director of the Folk-dance concert at the 1st US West-coast Outdoor Day of Song (1987), stager of several dance performances.
