Łowiczanie News

Rzeszów, Poland. -- July 23 -- Łowiczanie dancers joined their Artsitic Director, Mary Kay Stuvland, in Rzeszów, Poland in mid-July to attend the XIV World Festival of Polonia Folklore Ensembles. Mary Kay is enrolled in the 4-year Studium for Polish choreographers, and was halfway through her 2nd year program when the Łowiczanians arrived. The dancers were kindly invited to join the Krakusy Ensemble of Los Angeles (the minimum pairs an ensemble can bring to the Festival is eight, and Łowiczanie did not have that number commited to travel in 2008.)

Below are pictures from the opening parade in Rzeszów and the opening ceremonies held on the Rynek (town square) stage. Łowiczanians, together with Krakusy, danced a Krakusy suite, "Stara Warszawa," as well as a Krakówiak with Lajkonik. Both choreographies are by Edward Hoffman, Artistic Director of Krakusy. For the "Koncert Galowy" held July 23rd, the combined groups danced a Rzeszów suite by Mr. Hoffman.

Mary Kay finished her exams also on 23rd July, and packed to leave Rzeszów together with Łowiczanians on the following day. All were sad to depart the charmingly renovated town of Rzeszów, and there was already talk of plans for the Festival year 2011. Mary Kay, of course, will be returning in the summer of 2009 for her third year of the choreographers' intensive course. All agreed that one of the main values in both the Festival and the Kurs (course) is in the connections that are made with the world-wide Polonia.