„Wilia” in the rhythm of polonaise and mazurka

Polish song and dance group „Wilia” has just finished a year by giving a concert of Christmas Carols and performing both folk songs and dances. The House of Polish Culture in Vilnius was full to bursting. Nobody should be surprised, the concert “In the rhythm of polonaise and mazurka” is the tradition of the group, extremely liked by the citizens of Vilnius.

Twenty or even thirty years ago the concert of „Wilia” in New Year’s Eve was a very important event for which people waiting impatiently and later, they watched it with a pleasure. There is no doubts that „Wilia” was and still is one of the part of the Polish identity in Lithuania. These days, folk music seems to be less attractive, however, it is still interesting and needed for the “Wilia” group as well as for fans what we can see in a number of people who attend to the concerts.

„Wilia” is the evidence of some community life. People who took part in concerts some years ago are still very active. They support the team by all means, they are interested in what is happening. What is more, these people meet among themselves, remember about friends’ birthdays and other important dates and also they support each other in difficult moments.

Besides, many members of today’s „Wilia” is the next generation of older „Wilia”. Once, in the group parents and grandparents danced and sang, and now “the Young” continue the tradition. There are so many such people. In that case, we should not be surprised, that the concerts of „Wilia” for that families are really big and important. It is worth to say that the youngest group of team consists of twelve couples!

Fortunately, „Wilia” is active all the time. Sometimes, we can hear that there is nothing new: the dances are the same (from the times of Zofia Gulewicz), the songs are the same (from the times of our grandparents). At the same time we have to admit that the songs and all the rules were created by Zofia Gulewicz, and the present-day songs are not always able to withstand the competition. The intention of “Wilia” has always been to remind the wide range of Polish songs and dances from different regions of Poland and to learn how to distinguish it. In the repertoire “Wilia” has an extremely rich, diverse and well-prepared programme of songs and dances from Polish regions. All the time, the group is looking for something new – hence the invitation to the world of music film (“The magic world of music film”) or to the courts (“On the courts of Ogiński on Dominikańska Street”). Novelty from the last year is a Lithuanian dance. To the group of young, ambitious executives (Renata Brasel, Marzena Suchocka) has joined Beata (Gulbinowicz) Bużyńska, the old member of the group, and also the soloist of the group “Warszawianka” (and also our friend from editor’s office).New powers supply new ideas and maybe more interesting solutions.

The citizens of Vilnius really like new ideas of „Wilia”. They always wait for something new, however, at the same time, they miss a lot to the traditional concerts. For so many years they became accustomed to welcome the New Year in the rhythm of polonaise and mazurka.

Source: http://www.wilnoteka.lt/pl/artykul/quotwiliaquot-w-rytmie-poloneza-i-mazura-z-wideo

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