| They say an image expresses a thousand words. Its true. Every now and again, in my work with Polish youth and children, an image will be captured which says something about Lajkonik, maybe something about me, their teacher, where I have come from, what MY parents taught me, what "Polonia" has taught me. Last week, at the Polish Christmas Festival at Darling Harbour in Sydney, one of our mothers, Marzena, took this photo of her son and his partner dancing Goralski.
Some of you close to Lajkonik will know that Tance Gorali Zywieckich is one of Lajkonik's best dances, and even though it was choreographed way back in 1993 by our Associate Choreographer in Poland, Jan Pogonowski, our youth today still say to me Pani, can we pleeeeease do Goralski, and Pani Ula, we LOVE this dance!
The photo in many ways reflects the whole philosophy of what we do in Lajkonik - Polish dance with passion, strong, well-disciplined, committed youth who learn about and appreciate their Polish heritage, and are proud to be Australian-Poles - young people whose parents have taught them about loyalty, respect and the importance of family, including our Lajkonik family.
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The photo was taken while the dancers were dancing, and was therefore not set up in any way, and yet it has balance, composition and meaning. For me, it’s the Polish Orzel, of great significance, of course, in the background, and the young couple in front, straight, tall, proud and totally-focused. Our future! I am so proud of them, as I am of ALL my "kids", in Lajkonik. Some of them are in fact young adults and not children, navigating their way through university studies, career decisions, new life decisions, and work. Its so rewarding to be, in some small way, a part of their lives, and to have them come to me and say Pani Ula, can you give me a reference which of course I do.
Lajkonik has had some serious challenges this year, but we have come through it even stronger, wiser, and more determined to achieve our goals.
If you want to join the Lajkonik team, or if you want your child to be in Lajkonik, give me a call to make arrangements for 2010. Our class times, numbers and new locations, will be planned based on the numbers that we have.
Regards and all the best for Christmas and the New Year 2010!
Wesołych Swiąt i Wszystkiego Dobrego w Nowym Roku!
Urszula Lang
0418 265 271
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