"The story of the 2024 Tartu Dance Festival performance "Juure juures" was about the relationship between grandparents and their grandchildren," artistic director Kristel Maruste told ERR ahead of the performance on Sunday. "[It's about] cherishing the people who are by our side here and now, so that we don't have any regrets later."

For every one of the 2,300 dancers involved however, the festival's theme means something slightly different. So, what kind of wisdom have they received from their grandmothers?

"It's a really deep question but one thing that I remember is that [my grandmother said] 'just keep learning and studying,'" says Eveliis from Võru. "You have the whole of your life to do it, so just keep studying more and more. That was the wisdom she gave me."

For Kevin from Pärnu, the best advice his grandmother gave him was to stay positive even when times are tough. "Whenever it felt bad, it felt difficult, my grandmother always kept saying keep your head up, especially in those times," he says.

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For Aaria Lee from Tartu County, Sunday's performance came at the end of an intense final week of rehearsals. "We have been doing training in the stadium and every day we were finishing at 10 at night – it's a lot," she says.

Still, she has no doubt that all the hard work she's put in has been worthwhile. "I love dancing. I love doing it, and the positive vibes you get from it. And it's just such a powerful feeling to dance with all these beautiful people."

"Both of my grandmothers are alive and well and they have always said to me that you should do what you feel is right – what you want to do," Aaria Lee adds.

"Because life is for that. Life is too short to do what you are not enjoying."

But with so much work going into the preparations, it's hardly surprising that not everyone has had time to think about the message of the performance in such depth.

"Actually I was just really concentrating on my steps and trying to be in the right place," admits Anna, who is from Tallinn. Still, she says, her grandmother has definitely handed her some pretty sound advice over the years. "She always told me to be nice and don't do to others what you don't want them to do [to you]."

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But for Martin, who is a Tallinner too, it's not so much about the personal aspects of the story, but the fact that the festival has brought so many Estonians together to celebrate their shared cultural heritage.

"It does touch me a lot because it's a story about roots and where we come from and, in that way it does make us all feel the same," he says.

"I am really happy that I have such a special country, and even though we're very small, we're still very special, so that makes me feel proud."

It's a sentiment shared by Anett and Kertu, who are both from Tartu. "The public were so great and seemed to enjoy it and we enjoyed. We are so happy to be here," they tell me.

"So many more people are dancing nowadays and young people are so interested in folklore dancing. It's a growing trend in Estonia – it's so amazing to see so many people come together just for this one festival."

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A lot of the people I speak to on Sunday have already participated in Estonian dance festivals before. However, for some, this was their first chance to get involved.

Annabel was born in Tartu but has spent the last nine years living in the Netherlands. Not that that stopped her from doing whatever she can to stay in touch with her Estonian roots.

"I always wanted to try dancing and be part of a Dance Festival," she tells me. "And so, In September I found out there was a women's dance group in Holland."

The dance group Annabel joined is called "Tuuletütred." The name means "Daughters of the wind" – because "it's very windy in the Netherlands," she says. "We have people from across the country – Amsterdam, Rotterdam – and we train twice a month. It's nice to connect with the past a bit and also just speak Estonian together, you know? To keep the spirit going."

For Annabel too, the theme of the festival has a very personal meaning.

"I think everyone who is dancing [today] starts thinking about their own grandmother and grandparents," she tells me "We're all crying a little bit as well. It's really emotional, especially because you're dancing the story."

And is there any specific advice Annabel has received from grandmother that is on her mind today?

"I'm just thinking about different recipes she taught me, and well, she always told me: 'after you finish cooking, wash the dishes straight away,'" Annabel laughs. And as far as wisdom goes, who could possibly argue with that?

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The week-long 2024 Tartu Song and Dance Festival culminates with a song festival on Saturday June 22 at the Tartu Song Festival Grounds entitled "Õnn ja rõõm," ("Joy and delight").

It is preceded by a grand procession from Vabaduse puiestee to the Song Festival Grounds, which begins at 4 p.m.

More information is available here.

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