Heartfelt Christmas and recap of 2025

This year the Ačkups family decided to celebrate Christmas in the coziest way possible. We put on our pyjamas, warm slippers, and festive sweaters, then headed to our familiar dance studio on Mārupes Street, which had been transformed beyond recognition.

Strings of fairy lights, festive decorations, gingerbread, and the scent of the Christmas tree filled the studio with a truly warm and homely holiday atmosphere.

As always, we began our Christmas celebration by looking back on the past year. We counted how many different dances we had performed and how many concerts we had taken part in, while also revisiting some of the funniest photos and sharing plenty of laughs.

We also revealed the most popular dances of 2025, with "Sasala jūrīna", choreographed by Jānis Purviņš, taking the top spot.

Reflecting on the year, our Artistic Director, Elita, highlighted four standout moments: our concert by the Freedom Monument on 4 May, the sunny and unforgettable festival in Croatia, the launch of the Ačkups Studija, and the addition of our new repetiteur, Līga Indriksone, to the Ačkups family.

During the Christmas celebration, we also had the chance to get to know our newest dancers even better - people we already proudly call part of the Ačkups family. We guessed fun facts about this season's newcomers and looked through amusing photos that showed them in a completely different light from the one we're used to seeing in the dance hall. It certainly feels like those who chose to stay with us will be part of Ačkups for many years to come.

After the nostalgic look back at the year, it was time for something more active. Every Christmas before receiving our presents we complete a series of challenges prepared by Santa's little helpers. This year's task was especially creative: each group had to put together a short skit showing how the Ačkups dancers get ready for Christmas - heading into the forest to find a Christmas tree, preparing the festive feast, and, of course, meeting Santa Claus.

There was no shortage of laughter, imagination, and playful performances. It was a chance to shine not only with our dance moves but also with our acting skills.

Then it was finally time for presents. One of Ačkups' newest Christmas traditions is the "Odds and Ends Lottery," which over the past two years has successfully replaced our former "Well of Fortune" gift exchange.

The idea is simple: everyone brings something they no longer need but that someone else might genuinely enjoy. As a result, beneath the Christmas tree we found not only strings of lights, festive decorations, and mugs, but even a set of spanners and a multicooker!

The evening became even more special when we received the news that the charity marathon "Dod pieci!", whose finale coincided with our Christmas celebration, had raised more than one million euros in total!

This charity marathon is one of Ačkups' most heartfelt traditions, and this year it became even more meaningful because we were able to support it not only with a financial donation but also with what we do best - with dance.

On the penultimate day of the marathon, the Ačkups dancers took part in the flash mob "Prūšu zeme", where several Riga dance groups gathered in Dome Square and filled it with the powerful sound of Jānis Ērglis' "Es izjāju prūšu zemi". The emotions were so overwhelming that we simply had to dance it all over again.

Photo: Kaspars Dobrovoļskis / LSM

We are also incredibly proud of the Ačkups girls who weren’t afraid to join the boys in the dance. Before the flash mob our ensemble president Šarlote also had the opportunity to visit the glass studio with the DJs, together with seven other dance group presidents, to share why movement and dance are so important to us.

What could warm the heart more during the holiday season than bringing joy to others? With gratitude for the past year, the unforgettable moments we have shared, and the wonderful people around us, we move towards the new year - with hearts full of passion and inspiration, ready to reach new heights!