sviatki

[Philippa Rappoport]

For an upcoming winter festival in the DC area based on customary folk
celebrations of Sviatki, does anyone know:

1.  any musical groups in the area who play folk music and would be able to
teach some simple dances to a family audience;

2.  the origin of the use of the elka at New Years;

3.  I have been translating Sviatki as Holy Days, from sviatoi.  Any other
thoughts?  Is it related linguistically to svet?  Light (enlightenment) and
holiness do seem connected semantically.

Please respond to me at philrapps at aol.com.  Many thanks, good summer to all,
Philippa Rappoport

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