| Lajkonik’s PolArt Brisbane experience was deeply impacted by the last minute inability of one of our best and highly-valued young dancers – Adam Taras – who was called to the bedside of his mother Mirka. Although Adam’s costumes were delivered to the bus on the Sunday before PolArt, Adam did not board the plane due to Mirka, who had been sick for many years suffering with leukaemia and lung complications, becoming suddenly critical.
During PolArt, Lajkonik maintained contact with Adam and his family, our thoughts and prayers offered up to try and ease the pain of what was happening. Mirka’s sister arrived from Poland just after Christmas. Mirka died on Sunday 30 January.
Throughout the year, Lajkonik had given its reserve dancers opportunities to practice and perform at different performances, so in a sense we were resilient and managed without Adam. Particularly touching was a message of support sent by the dancers to Adam just before the third main folkloric concert. Before this concert, there was also a public tribute to Mirka given by the Artistic Director of PolArt Henry Kurylewski, at a meeting of all Ensembles during which PolArt Legacy Awards were given out.
Short video. A Message of Support for Adam Taras
If you look at one of the images of Opoczno on stage, take note of the background image with a cross, and black ribbons on the sleeves of all the Lajkonik dancers. This dance was dedicated to Mirka, and it was an initiative of the dancers themselves.
Once we returned to Sydney on Monday evening, Lajkonik did everything it could to be there for the family, and to help prepare for the funeral.
A beautiful eulogy for Mirka was delivered during the church service by Adam. There was not a single dry eye in the church. Before she passed, Mirka said “cry for me hard but only once, and then get on with your life”. She valued life greatly. She fought as hard as she could for it, but then the time came when the body could no longer fight. God had decided that this was her time.
Lajkonik dancers created a guard of honour for the coffin as it made its way to the waiting funeral car. Her body was taken to be cremated, and her ashes will go back to a resting place in Poland.
After the funeral, was a warm and vibrant wake in the John Paul II hall where friends and family gathered to enjoy a banquet of beautiful food, cool drinks and good conversation.
The funeral and wake were absolute testament to how much Mirka was loved by so many friends and the community. It was memorable and touching.
I am priviliged to have a copy of Adam’s eulogy, and to be permitted to share Mirka’s photo, some photos of the funeral, a photo of the dance Opoczno which was dedicated to Mirka during PolArt, and even Lajkonik’s personal message to Adam (with permission given by Adam and the dancers).
Life will go on without Mirka, but she will be missed greatly and never forgotton. She was a person who really made a difference.
Urszula Lang, Artistic Director of Lajkonik
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