Kids tame the scene

St. Nicholas’ Day in the Polish Cultural Center in Vilnius was marked by a great artistic performance. On December 6^th sixteen kindergarten ensembles (how proud it sounds!) presented their skits as parts of the program titled “Bajeczki z przedszkolnej półeczki” (“Fairy tales from a kindergarten shelf”).

The festival of children, their teachers, and parents was organized for the ninth time thanks to the Association of Polish Teachers in Lithuania “Macierz Szkolna” (“Schooling Motherland”). “My daughter (aged 3 ¾ ) is very relaxed about her performance,” said Danuta Lachowicz from Anowil (Anavilis) in Vilnius district municipality. “It will be her second appearance on stage, as she made her debut last year. I do not have to help her in anything, her teacher ensures that everybody has memorized the text. This year my daughter plays a monkey, and she is a very keen performer. Her younger sister (aged 1 ½ ), who is also getting ready to play something some day, has come with me as well.”

That day Vilnius was represented by as many as seven kindergartens. Also, on stage there was the “Bajka” (“Fairy tale”) kindergarten from Soleczniki (Šalčininkai), the “Promyczek” (“Little ray”) kindergarten from Ejszyszki (Eišiškės) in Šalčininkai district municipality, together with kindergartens from Mejszagoła (Maišiagala), Glinciszki (Glitiškės), Niemenczyn (Nemenčinė), Pogiry (Pagiriai), Anowil (Anavilis), Grygajcie (Grigaičiai), and Wojdaty (Vaidotai) in Vilnius district municipality. Along the stage marched Little Red Riding Hood, dwarfs, then monkeys, mushrooms, and even a crew of sailors.

The “Bajka” kindergarten staged a show titled “W Aniołkowie” (“In the Angelland”). Thus, beautiful hosts of winged white angels descended onto the stage and ensured that Christmas would look proper. “Bajka” had annually presented their skits in the Polish Cultural Center for eight years. This years’ performance was directed by Irena Grudnistaja, a kindergarten teacher with 35 years’ work experience.

“Working with children is much more interesting nowadays,” she claimed. “Today’s kids are more spontaneous, they are not that self-restrained as they used to be. They may have problems with concentration, but they are really artistically-minded.”

The “Kluczyk” (“Little key”) kindergarten from Vilnius brought a sailor crew of five- and six-year-olds, who performed a skit titled “Marynarskie przygody” (“Adventures of the sailors”). The kids had been instructed by Regina Polejko and Jadwiga Mieczkowska. According to Agnė Ščebedienė, the headmistress of the kindergarten, the little performers are going to present the same show in Troki (Trakai) still before Christmas, at the invitation of St. Nicholas himself.

Edyta Malinovskienė from the Glinciszki (Glitiškės) kindergarten was a little bit nervous before her group’s turn. “Performing on the well-known stage of your kindergarten is much easier than acting here in Vilnius. Still, I really like challenges and being on the move. I have just returned from training courses. Today I have brought seven children, and because we like Jan Brzechwa, we are going to present a war between mushrooms and flies. My kids just love the stage.”

The jury, composed of Irena Litwinowicz from the Polish Theater in Vilnius,  Lilia Kiejzik from the Polish Theatrical Studio, and Stanisław Michalkiewicz, responsible for the Polish program in the Lithuanian National Radio, awarded seven groups. Therefore, the prizes went to the “Wilia” (“Neris”) kindergarten from Vilnius, the “Bajka” (“Fairy tale”) kindergarten from Soleczniki (Šalčininkai), the kindergartens from Anowil (Anavilis) and Grygajcie (Grigaičiai), the “Gelvonelis” and “Kluczyk” (“Little key”) kindergartens from Vilnius, as well as to the “Latawiec” (“Kite”) kindergarten from Wojdaty (Vaidotai).

As befitted a real St. Nicholas’ Day, there was a Christmas tree, a ceremonial lighting of the Christmas tree lights, and obviously, St. Nicholas and his assistant, who saw to it that no kid was bored in the intervals between the skits. Naturally, St. Nicholas arrived with presents. Children received sweets, whereas their teachers got sets of methodology books. Krystyna Dzierżyńska, the vice-chairperson of the Association of Polish Teachers in Lithuania “Macierz Szkolna” (“Schooling Motherland”), said that the festival had always evoked only positive impressions. “A little person on stage is always charming. Besides, everybody has begun with small steps, and the kids already recite, sing, and move in a beautiful manner. Plus, their performance mirror the hard work of kindergarten teachers.”

Source: http://kurierwilenski.lt/2012/12/06/maluchy-oswajaja-scene/

Tłumaczenie Natalia Błędowska w ramach praktyk w Europejskiej Fundacji Praw Człowieka, www.efhr.eu. Translated by Natalia Błędowska the framework of a traineeship programme of the European Foundation of Human Rights, www.efhr.eu.