They enjoy dancing together at weekly rehearsals and show off their skill and costumes in local performances, as well as international events. Even those young people who feel only marginally connected to the community and whose language fluency may be limited can experience a sense of belonging to the dance groups. But not everyone grows up as an automatic Latvian. Some find their way into the Latvian community only at a later stage. Active youth also travel to other Latvian centres, and an increasing number visit relatives in Latvia.
Travel is important.
It widens one's perspective and brings new friends. Singing in the choir or folk-dancing in an arena with one thousand other Latvian youth from around the world heightens their sense of belonging and ethnic pride. Song festivals take place yearly in Australia and the United States and less frequently in Europe and Canada. Every four years Toronto hosts a festival that draws up to 15,000 spectators and close to 2,000 participants in a gala of music, dance, arts, crafts and social events. The next Latvian Song Festival will take place in Toronto in 1986.