“Dancing through the generations 2014” („Z tańcem przez pokolenia 2014”) – celebrating the canonization of John Paul II

The Dance Holiday and a traditional concert “Dancing through the centuries 2014” were held on 29^th April 2014 in the Multifunctional Cultural Centre in Nemenčinė. The concert was devoted to the International Dance Day. It was the third concert of that kind in Nemenčinė, that is awaited by the participants of four folk bands working with the Multifunctional Cultural Centre and two junior high schools in Nemenčinė.

The following groups performed during the concert: The Polish Representative Folk Song and Dance Ensemble “Wileńszczyzna” with the dance group and the former members of the Child and Youth Dance Group and “Jutrzenka”, the group of Lithuanian folk dances „Saulės Žiedas“ and the Folk Dance Ensemble “Perła”.

This year’s party was devoted to the canonization of John Paul II. That is why, dozens of dancers wearing folk costumes were present at the Nemenčinė St. Archangel Michael Church on 27^th April, on the very day of the canonization of the Polish Pope. The concert begun with the poem about the Pope. The host of the celebration, alternated between announcing tho following dances and warm and poignant fragments of the poems written by John Paul II.

The concert room, decorated with spring flowers by the Floristry Studio “Jaukuma” and the exhibition of various flower works done by students of the Vilnius Education Centre (Wileńskie Centrum Kształcenia Budowlanych) which was made available to visit the Multifunctional Cultural Centre in Nemenčinė, created a warm and spring atmosphere.

The special guest, Zbigniew Brzeziński from Łomża, a photographer who is well-known in Poland, supported the concert with his professional photos of dancers spinning on the stage. His newest, magnificent photographic flower exhibition entitled “Painted with the sun” (“Słońcem malowane”) will be available to visit in September in Nemenčinė.

In 2014, the organizers prepared a surprise for everyone participating in the concert – a lottery. 165 tickets to the Lithuanian National Opera and Ballet Theatre in Vilnius for the performance “Sleeping Beauty” were drawn among the participants. There were also 8 coupons of 80 litas value for the shop selling cloths and shoes for dancers, the things that are necessary for daily rehearsals.

It is worth mentioning that the title of the concert “Dancing through the generations” completely reflects everything what had happened on the stage. During the final cracovienne, there were whole dancing families dancing on the stage, for instance the Jackiewicz family and the Rynkiewicz family.

The director of the Multifunctional Cultural Centre in Nemenčinė, German Komarowski, ensured everybody that the fourth concert celebrating the International Dance Day will be held next year.