Honorary member of the Lithuanian Folk Dance Institute – Zita Petkus, Seattle, WA

Seattle’s „Lietutis” had been representing Puget Sound area Lithuanians throughout the U.S. and Canada since 1981. The idea for the group arose at the Lithuanian Independence day Commemoration, when after the potluck dinner Zita Petkus inadvertently attracted an audience of children while demonstrating a few steps to a friend. She ended up teaching the eager youngsters a folk dance on a spot, and after that there was no turning back – parents refused to let Zita go, coaxing her into gathering a multi-age group together for another session…and then another, and another. By the following year’s Independence Day event, the group had a modest repertoire, a name, and a mission: to keep in touch with one’s heritage through the joys of Lithuanian folk dancing. membership was open to young and old, the only requirement being some sort of connection with Lithuanianism.

„Lietutis” grew and thrived under Zitas leadership, in 2009 receiving the designation as the goodwill ambassador for Seattle Lithuanians. During the Independence Day celebration several years ago, the emcee invited audience members who had danced with „Lietutis” to stand up and be recognized; the overwhelming majority of attendees rose to their feet.

In 2018 Zita made a decision to ensure the continuation of her life’s work by entrusting „Lietutis” to the leadership of the younger generation: the new directors of „Lietutis” are Beatričė Želvytė and Marius Lukoševičius. after experiencing an unusual year with no dance group responsibilities, in October of 2019 Zita returned as a teacher to help prepare the ‘vintage’ dancers of „Lietutis” for the upcoming Šventė.

Although dance is a particular passion, Zita’s Lithuanian interests extend to other areas as well. In 1981 she established and for the next 25 years edited the official bi-lingual newsletter of the Washington State Lithuanian-American Community. Zita worked on PBS documentary, „Red Terror on the Amber Coast”, as one of the translators. She is a member of the Daughters of Lithuania, has organized a number of Lithuanian exhibits, wrote and published her family history in 2014, and just in the past year translated/edited her father-in-law’s book from Lithuanian to English, „Lithuanian Life Under Polish Occupation; Memoirs of the Political Prisoner.”

Zita is a graduate of the University of Illinois, Chicago, with the degree in physical education, which she taught in junior high for seven years prior to moving to Seattle in 1978 with her husband Juozas. During her life in Chicago she also taught the younger grades in the Roseland Lithuanian Saturday School, and also worked a s a dance teacher at a Kristijonas Donelaitis Lithuanian Saturday School.