Longtime dance group leader Kornēlija Reisnere honoured on her 90th birthday in Koknese
A celebration was held in the Koknese culture house, Aizkraukle municipality, at the end of October for Kornēlija Reisnere, a longtime folk dance group leader, who turned 90. Former students, colleagues and local officials congratulated her, and she was crowned dance queen.
On the last day of October, the culture house in Koknese, in Latvia's Aizkraukle municipality, hosted a celebration for Kornēlija Reisnere, a longtime leader of Latvian folk dance groups, on her 90th birthday. Several generations of dancers have grown up under her guidance, so former students, colleagues and admirers of her teaching talent came to congratulate her.
Una Stakle, head conductor of dance groups in Aizkraukle municipality, thanked the jubilarian for the working life she gave to Koknese and the municipality. The event was hosted by five women Reisnere had trained – Agra, Laura, Baiba, Elīna and Maruta – who have tied their lives to dance.
Awards
Reisnere has devoted more than 70 years of her life to dance. She holds the title of Honorary Citizen of Koknese, and in 2016 she received the Cross of Recognition, a high state award of Latvia, for lifelong contribution to the development of Latvian stage dance and the preservation of the Song and Dance Festival tradition. At the celebration she was presented with certificates of honour from the Latvian National Centre for Culture and the Aizkraukle municipality, as well as words of thanks from the municipal Culture Administration and the Koknese area administration. She was also crowned dance queen.
Memories and greetings
Former students thanked her for teaching them dance steps, perseverance and responsibility. Among the guests were Katrīne Martinsone-Škapare, a stage dance expert at the Latvian National Centre for Culture, Dainis Vingris, deputy chair of the municipal council, Anta Teivāne, head of the Culture Administration, and Inguna Strazdiņa, director of the Koknese culture centre. Sarmīte Plūme, leader of the youth dance group "Kāre", called Reisnere a polisher and keeper of dance pearls.
The source notes that Reisnere led the Koknese culture centre's youth dance group, the women's group "Tik un tā" and children's dance groups at I. Gaiša Koknese Secondary School. By training she is an agronomist but stayed on as a dance teacher.
The festive concert featured the Aizkraukle culture centre dance group "Pēda", the Koknese culture centre group "Rats" and "Kornēlijas gaiss", a youth group created especially for the occasion. Thanking the guests, the jubilarian said she has seven great-grandchildren, the youngest not yet a week old.
