Ernestas, many remember you from the dance world, but you have been hosting events for almost 10 years. When did dance turn into a path to event hosting?
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It all started very early – my mother brought me, a seven-year-old boy, to the “Žuvėdra” sports dance group. Dance was part of my life until 2015. In 2014, I received an invitation to participate in the project “Dance with Me,” where I danced with TV help star Sandra Žutautienė-Vaikšnorė. That time we took third place. It was there that I also met Remigijus Žiogas, the founder of “Trys karaliai” and event host – we were both from Klaipėda, both involved in the same world.
After the project, my professional dance career ended, the “Žuvėdra” anniversary concert took place, and the group disbanded. A big question arose – what next? I had been on stage all my life, so events did not seem foreign to me. Žiogas suggested joining the events he hosted and conducting dance lessons. Gradually, I felt that I really enjoy communicating with people, bringing them together, feeling their energy. Naturally, I started hosting weddings, private events, dance competitions. As they say – one door closed, another opened very nicely.
What is Ernestas Monginas up to today, now that the lights of professional dance have gone out?
Besides hosting events, my colleagues and I in Klaipėda have founded the dance studio “Forte,” where we teach children sports dancing. Teaching is not new to me – I have been doing it since I was eighteen. I also work in event technical support – sound, lighting, event sound engineering. All of this is closely related to my main activity. Sometimes clients need not only a host but also a complete technical solution. However, currently, most of my time and energy goes to events.
Among your activities, and the most important responsibility – fatherhood. How do you manage to balance everything?
We are raising two sons – one is six, the other just one year old. At first, it was definitely not easy to balance everything. Dance lessons took place on weekdays, weekends were dedicated to events. Now I have reduced dance activities and handed over more responsibilities to colleagues. I consciously try to spend more time with my children and wife. Everything is based on communication and agreement. Time flies very fast, so I want not only to pursue a career but also to be close to my family, to see how the children grow.
What helps you maintain inner balance?
I have lived my whole life with discipline. Our “Žuvėdra” leader, respected professor Skaistutė Idzelevičienė, was quite strict, but she taught me order, responsibility, and focus. After finishing my dance career, I actively do sports – I swim, go to the pool, and take great care of my diet. The work of an event host requires a lot of physical and emotional energy, so the body must be prepared like an athlete’s. But my greatest rest is nature and fishing. At least once a week, I try to turn off my phone for half a day and go to the water with friends. It’s a kind of escape from the pace and noise.
What fishing catches can you boast of?
I mostly fish with a spinning rod, so I have caught several pikes over a meter long. Soon, a colleague and I plan to go to Estonia – to fish, relax, and escape the daily rhythm for a while.
Are your sons already discovering your hobbies?
With the older one, we definitely have a common bond through fishing. We have a pond near our home, so we have been fishing together since he was little. This summer, we plan to go on a trip and fish together. It is very important for me to build a connection with my children. Shared hobbies are one of the most beautiful ways to do that.
Or does the older one show a tendency for dance?
It seems that the older son will not connect his life with dance (smiles). Currently, he is more interested in engineering, robotics, and likes to build things. He says he will be an engineer. He also attends basketball. The most important thing for me is to help my children find what they truly like. My parents, especially my mother, raised me very freely – they did not allow me to live according to someone else’s imposed scenario. I am glad I was not boxed in. I want the same freedom for my children.
Do you still hit the dance floor yourself?
At the events I host, I have a special show number – it has become a kind of my business card. Few events pass without it. However, I no longer dance professionally. Today, I would no longer have the physical ability or time for that. Weekends are full of events, and I think every stage has its own time. You have to make room for the younger generation.
What situation at an event still makes you smile?
At weddings, it is very important not to mix up the names of the newlyweds, and they are different every weekend. Once, during the traditional “bread, salt, and water” moment, I almost started saying the wrong groom’s name. Fortunately, I controlled myself at the last second. There was quite a lot of stress inside. But in our work, anything can happen – events are a live and unpredictable world.
What do you think sets you apart the most among many other event hosts?
For me, culture, elegance, and empathy for people are the most important. I am quite calm and very adaptable to the situation. If the celebration is calmer – I am calmer too. If people want more energy and fun, then I create that mood with them. I am not strict or domineering. I think dance gave me a certain posture and inner balance. I often say that I am a host for ordinary people. I am very happy that people have been choosing me for ten years. And in recent years, it seems that we just naturally find each other. After all, the celebration is not about the host. It is about the people. The host’s job is to connect, guide, help create the atmosphere, but not become the main focus of the evening.
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