Engaging the community in the development of the Estonian Dance Celebrations through participatory design

Abstract

Estonia is a post-Soviet country that is currently in the process of redefining its independent national identity and culture. The Soviet Estonia was a time of counter-cultural mobilizations where cultural heritage became the tool to preserve national identity and oppose the regime. However, the collapse of the Union left the heritage in a situation of lost purpose. The arrival of independence created the need to reevaluate the core of the national identity.

One of the main heritages defining the Estonian national identity are the Song and Dance Celebrations (SDC). During the Soviet occupation, the SDC were officially a tool for propaganda, however, undercover, they converted into a national protest movement. Today, the SDC are held every few years and can host over 80 000 people to celebrate Estonian music and dance together. However, a prevailing problem of the heritage is the uncertainty of how to redefine its identity from the Soviet colonial influences. Specifically, the Dance Celebrations (DC) which were established shortly before the Soviet occupation have prevailing high aesthetic standards for the quality of the concerts. As a result, the heritage today has become exclusive in participation to meet the standards. To address the process of redefining the SDC heritage, participatory design is suggested as a method for producing alternative ideas separate from the Soviet past. Participatory design is a method that focuses on the empowerment of individuals and community members in developing alternative ideas through a collective design process.

The aim of this thesis was to approach the specific case of the Estonian DC cultural heritage through the lens of participation. The main research question was posed as the following: 1) Why should the DC focus on community participation? The sub questions were posed to understand the problem of exclusivity at the DC and to suggest alternative ideas for the development towards a more democratic heritage. The sub questions were the following: a) What is the community's role in the DC currently? b) How could the DC transition towards establishing community participation?

The thesis research process was conducted in two parts. Firstly, in the research part I, semi-structured interviews were conducted with the DC organizing stakeholders to map the stakeholder hierarchy and understand the context of the DC cultural heritage. Secondly, in the research part II, a participatory workshop was conducted to imagine and describe ways of community participation in the DC heritage development. The outcome of the research process informed why participation would be relevant in addressing the problems of exclusion of the DC.