Iwonicz Zdroj - by Kasia Jablonski

Written by Darek Jablonski

Friday, 04 September 2009 09:30

Iwonicz was something that dancers were training for 10 months, a year or maybe even 2. This big event in Iwonicz Zdroj Poland consisted Polish Cultural Dance Groups from countries around the world to perform and show their pride for Poland. Krakusy and many other groups stayed in a nearby building, where we shared rooms with 2-3 friends. We met new kids and learned a lot about where they came from; Ukraine, Russia, North America, and several diverse countries from around Europe. The plane rides to Toronto, then to Poland were tough. So was the eight hour bus ride to Iwonicz Zdroj, but in the end, our group KNEW it was worth it. Every day was different.

One day we went to Solina, another day we had a parade, but the greatest days were when we performed. Also some instructors organized a Disco in the gym, which was fun and creative for every one of us. Our instructors, Renata Urban and Bartek Grochowski are skilled Polanie dancers. They have taken the time and patience needed to teach us and turn us into the best we could be, and dancers experienced enough for Poland. Renata teaches posture and is patient with us as we learn new dance techniques and choreography. Bartek practices the detail in our choreography, and “disciplines” us; he’s strict but not mean. Both have taught us the dances that we took to Poland including; Krakowiak, Slask, Kaszuby, and The Calgary Stomp. Everybody in the dance group are like brothers and sisters: So kind and so alike, and we learned to get along so quickly and so well.

After about 10 days of fun and excitement, it concluded and would come once again in three years. Most groups had a “Zeleona Noc”, or “Green Night”. This was when fellow dancers in a small group would pull pranks on sleeping friends. Some ‘decorated’ rooms with toilet paper, or put make-up on their face. A few people went completely sleepless throughout the whole night staying up till seven a.m., and slept when it was time to go home and say good-bye. That morning, everyone started to leave. Some straight to Warsaw and to Calgary, some to relatives nearby, or some to Warsaw and stayed ‘till later days. Overall, I think those 10 days were the best of my life, and I’m sure everyone else at the festival would agree. These devoted dancers included Michal and Katrina Jablonski, Patrick Wegrzynski, Natalia Czarnecki, Julia Domaradzki, Krystian Wisniewski, Karolina Witukiwicz, Michal Nawrocki, Klaudia Lokietko, Peter Skrajny, Patrick Pajda, Christopher Jakubowski, Janek Widomski, Victoria Wojcik, Jesse Wilms, and Tessa Pankiewicz; An extra super big Thank-you to One-of-a-Kind Instructors Renata Urban and Bartek Grochowski and Good-Luck to them and the Future Dancers of Krakusy.

Thank-You All.