Polanie Notifier

Fall 2007 / Volume 3

The second half of our season will be no less exciting and filled with much hard work in both the studio and beyond. In July of 2008, the senior ensemble will once again travel to Poland to perform at the International Festival of Polish Folk Dance Ensembles in Rzeszow; this will be the ensemble’s 7^th time at this prestigious and world renowned festival. For the next seven months, Polanie’s senior group will be very busy learning and perfecting the dances which they will take to represent at the festival. With nine new ensemble members since September 2007, Polanie is a fresh and vibrant group of dancers, but this also means that they will have to work extremely hard to meet the level of expected excellence at the festival in Poland. I have no doubts that they will rise to the challenge, as they already have been doing since the start of the season.

Fundraising will also be a major focus for the rest of this season, although this is nothing new for us; we spend most of our time rehearsing, performing, or fundraising so that we can exist. Funds are needed not only for the major expenses associated with the trip to Poland, but also for the regular operational costs of the organization. Information on our upcoming fundraisers will be available in the new year and of course, on our website. 

Lastly, it is an exciting time for Polanie as an organization as we are in the process of hiring for newly created part-time position of Development Coordinator. If you have not heard about this great opportunity, please read about it on our website. We hope to welcome this new staff member to our team in February. The development t of the operational and business side of Polanie is equally important to the artistic aspects, as one would not exist without the other in our case. The strengthening and expansion of our ‘behind the scenes’ operations will be key to the positive growth and future of Polanie as whole. We are aiming for the Development Coordinator to eventually become a full-time position that will play a pivotal role in our organization.

Thank you to all those who supported us in so many ways during our 30^th anniversary year: the fundraising volunteers, the donors, the appreciative audiences, and the many people who contributed their ideas and talents in so many different areas. It’s a privilege to have the wonderful people we do supporting and helping us. Our accomplishments are your accolades too. We look forward to 2008 with optimism, creative energy, and hope for many new successes and a chance to create many more lasting memories.

My sincere best wishes for the holidays to all the dancers, parents, volunteers, supporters, and friends of Polanie!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

-Patti Czerski, Artistic Director

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HIGHLIGHTS

Kimberley International Folk Festival

This was the first time that Polanie had an opportunity to dance at the International Folk Festival in British Columbia.  The group was well received, and found the festival to be a very enjoyable and rewarding experience. For more details please click here.

Polanie's Masquerade Ball
 

As we do every October, we once again had our annual Masquerade Ball! This year, however, not only was the Ball an annual fundraiser but Polanie completed their 30th anniversary birthday celebrations! To read more click here.

ARTISTIC NEWS (continued)

Behind the scenes, much work and time has been, and will continue to be, spent on costuming. Dorota Wegrzynska, Polanie’s Costume Mistress, has already updated and refinished half of the Cieszyn costumes for Polanie Jr, in addition to the regular volunteer work she does maintaining the costumes and costume room.  Last month, Polanie was also given much-needed extra costume room space at the Polish Cultural Centre. With the constant expansion of each ensemble’s repertoire, comes the growth of costuming and accessories required for performances.  We are also anticipating the arrival of brand new, hand-crafted Goral Zywiecki costumes from Poland, which are expected to arrive before the new year. Polanie has always emphasized the importance of authentic folk costuming, as it is crucial to the accurate representation and conservation of the folklore of Poland. Although it is a dying tradition in most parts of Poland, the workmanship of the experts who sew, embroider and bead the costumes is an artistry that must be preserved for future generations.  

Lastly, a new dance instructor has been hired to co-teach the Krakusy ensemble; Bartek Grochowski, senior Polanie dancer, has been training with Kasia Stevens, and (currently) with Patti Czerski for the past three months. Bartek’s enthusiasm, energy, and talent have thus far been a very positive addition to the teaching team dynamic. We hope to see more great things from Bartek as an instructor in the future. 

September...

There were two dance camps this year, organized and led by Patti Czerski and Kasia Stevens: one for Krakusy and the other for Polanie Jr. Both camps involved a vigorous 5 day schedule of 7 hours of dance training, Pilates, coordination & rhythm exercises, as well as singing each day.  The Krakusy camp took on a new format this year, as it included children who were curious about Polish dance but were not actually Krakusy members.  This unique group of members and non-members were introduced to Krakowiak steps, new highlander songs and dances, as well as to dances from the Slask region.  The campers were able to learn two independent choreographies taught by the instructors, along with one of their own making, which they performed for their parents on the last day. It was inspiring to watch the young choreographers in action! The Polanie Jr.’s  were introduced to dances and songs of the Cieszyn region, which proved quite challenging despite looking deceptively simple at first. Additionally, the camp involved preparation for our annual Spruce Meadows performances during the Masters Tournament. 

On the heels of the dance camps, was the senior ensemble’s trip to the Kimberley International Folk Festival, during the September Long Week-end. This was the first time that Polanie travelled to perform in British Columbia, and it was well worth the drive. From the warm welcome we received, to the great accommodations and a very positive audience response, this festival was a great opportunity and experience. In fact, Polanie was immediately asked to return next year, which we definitely plan to do. The weekend following Kimberley, Polanie was back in the saddle, performing at the Spruce Meadows Masters along with Polanie Jr. Although the horrible weather resulted in one day of performances being cancelled, the remainder of the weekend was sunny, beautiful, and filled with strong performances from both ensembles. It was also the weekend where one of our best senior dancers and Krakusy instructors retired her dance boots; Kasia Ustienny, who has been a pivotal figure in the history of Polanie as a dancer, instructor, volunteer, and Board Member, lit up the stage for the last time on Sunday, September 9^th.

 Finally, September kept us busy with further auditions that were held for all three ensembles. New members were welcomed, and immediately thrown into the hectic schedules of our performing groups.   Although it is difficult for new members to quickly adapt and rise to the current level of the senior dancers, it creates a dynamic of teamwork and allows for high standards to be upheld. Part of the joy of dancing in a performing ensemble is the never-ending challenges that it brings for each dancer; the group must always fuse into a unified whole, while retaining the positive individual characteristics of each dancer, and challenging each person at their level of development.

October...

The Masquerade Ball completed Polanie's 30th anniversary celebrations, which were culminated with the revealing of a five level 30th anniversary cake.  In an emotionally memorable moment during the unveiling, the two oldest members of Polanie passed on the Polish folk dolls topping the festive cake, to the two youngest members of Polanie; the past, present, and future met in one moment, and signified the importance of history to the development of times to come. 

November...

During the fourth weekend of November, all three ensembles traditionally performed at the annual Christmas Market at Spruce Meadows. For many dancers, this was their debut performance with the ensembles they are part of, and all of them did a fantastic job at performing their newly learned choreographies.  This weekend’s shows really highlighted the performance abilities of our younger dancers in Krakusy and Polanie Jr; they wowed the audiences (and their instructors!) with their professionalism on and off the stage, and their ability to entertain despite several difficulties, not least of which included a host of Christmas trees and a great big sleigh of present s right on the stage. Al though the performance conditions were not ideal with the small surface area for dancing, the sound level restrictions, and tiny change room area, all of the ensembles, most notably Krakusy and Polanie Jr. dealt with these outside factors in a truly upstanding way. Performance conditions are often less than ideal, but as a dance ensemble, Polanie’s job is to perform and entertain despite of those inadequacies. The Christmas Market at Spruce Meadows does its best to accommodate the various performing groups, and due to their hospitality and the wonderful holiday atmosphere at the market, this is one of Polanie’s most enjoyable annual performances.                

Dancing in Polanie…

 is not just about learning Polish dance steps and being able to execute them, but it's about being able to know what those steps mean and where they originate, to put them together in combinations as an individual or in a pair, and then make them fit within an ensemble choreography. It is about being able to relate to individuals of many different ages and backgrounds as well as to the Polish culture.  It is about meeting new people from all over the world who share the same passion: Polish dance.  It is about knowing the value of the heritage and continuation of the Polish dance form. It is about so many things beyond just dance; Polanie has a culture and dynamic all its own, and provides opportunities for learning, travelling, and experiencing life and performance in an acute and unique way.

A True performer...

Is someone who thrives on a stage.  Performers are in their element when they are able to be in front of an audience and can pick up on the feelings and emotions of the crowd and channel them into their own performance.  A dancer is a performer when he or she can communicate the dance through movement, as well as facial expressions that communicate feelings and emotions. A performer stands out from a mere ensemble dancer who has learned all the correct steps and special positioning in an dance; they are the ones your eye is naturally drawn to when you watch the group perform, they are the ones who  thrive and let their true selves shine on stage. The stage is about the truth, where the opportunity to remove all other life aspects exists, where one can focus in on the current moment and live it for those brief minutes on stage.  A true performer comes alive when they are on stage, and is able to consciously channel their emotional and intellectual energy and knowledge into a unified expression through dance.                             

Thinking about Christmas…

Christmas is the time where most people get in touch with their families and their roots.  It is a time where tradition and culture make intimate contact with our lives.  This is definitely true for the Polish tradition, which is unique in its celebrations during this festive season. Take the time this year to appreciate the richness of the traditions that make this season so special.  Merry Christmas, or as we say in Polish, Wesolych Swiat!

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TIPS FROM MEMBERS OF KRAKUSY - What does it mean to be a Krakusy Dancer?

Magda Mazur 13

You have to be able to have fun, perform for yourself and the group.

Tessa Pankiewicz 12

To be willing to perform comfortable and have the courage to be strong.

Natalia Czarnecki 13

You have to be confident in whatever you do.

Gabriella Gut 14

To be a Krakusy dancer you have to be willing to work and have fun. You have to work with the group and the audience!

Michal Jablonski 13

To be a Krakusy dancer you should pay attention, and not be shy to ask for help.

Natalia Kulaga 13

To be a Krakusy dancer you have to give all your effort to the group and always have a smile :)

Krystian Wisniewski 13

Always listen to the teacher!

Patrick Wegrzynski 13

To be a Krakusy dancer you should be able to feel the beat of the music.