Anniversary cake

Link to a report from the 20th Anniversary Celebrations

Lajkonik’s first President was Wiesiek Jamroziak. He was from the Polish “Osiedle” (an unusual, almost all-Polish townhouse development of mainly “Fala 80” Polish families in Greenacre), as were many of the children in the first group, who attended St Felix Primary School in Bankstown. Lajkonik has since had many good Presidents, but the longest serving to date has been our dedicated Foundation Member Bozena Pagin (2000-2010), who made a significant contribution to having the Ensemble’s special work recognised. Bozena has supported and helped Lajkonik unfailingly from the beginning without waiver.

One of Lajkonik’s first major fundraisers involved the painting of the White Eagle Hall in Cabramatta by Lajkonik fathers. This Project generated money to buy a large number of second hand costumes from the former dance group, Mazury (which sadly ceased to exist a few years after the death of its teacher Maria Lusik.)Lajkonik has always dreamed up unique projects – it dabbled in smoked trout sales (Wiesiek Jamroziak and Gienek Figiel) and second hand stalls (Ewa Waciega) to try and finance the Ensemble’s needs in those first years. Easter Cake stalls and Decorative Palms are a regular fundraising effort by Lajkonik parents.

Lajkonik’s past music /vocal teachers have included Szczepan Sulkowski, Hania Zdon and its longest serving vocal teacher for 10 years, Konstancja Kotowska.

Since establishment, Lajkonik has participated in every Polart Festival (1991, 1994, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2009) in Australia, and 5 consecutive Rzeszow Festivals in Poland (1996, 1999, 2002, 2005, 2008). It has been the primary performing Ensemble at 4 Kosciuszko Festivals (2007, 2008, 2009 and 2010) (now known as K’Ozzie Fest) which promote knowledge about General Tadeusz Kosciuszko and Sir Paul Edmund Strzelecki. Lajkonik is believed to be the FIRST AND ONLY dance ensemble in history known to perform on the summit of Mt Kosciuszko (February 2007). Polish Highland Dances from Zywiec were performed at the concert of “Kosciuszko Music on Mt Kosciuszko”, which was organised by the Puls Polonii Cultural Foundation, and our dear friends and Lajkonik affiliates, Ernestyna and Andrzej Kozek.

Lajkonik regularly performs at local and interstate multicultural Festivals in Sydney, Canberra, Melbourne and Dubbo, as well as many Polish events and concerts for the Polish community of Sydney, but also Newcastle and Wollongong. Some years have seen Lajkonik give anything up to 50 performances per year.

Urszula Lang has provided artistic direction since Day One. Under her guidance, choreographies have been collected by seeking the input of various chorographers in Poland, the main one being Janusz Pogonowski, who is currently the Choreographer of Zespol “Jawor” in Lublin, but also Alicia Jankiewicz, and a number of others. One of Lajkonik’s Rzeszow Suites was gifted by the immensely talented Polish Choreographer Ignacy Wachowiak, under whom Urszula had the privilege of undertaking some study. Urszula Lang also prepares choreographies on a regular basis in response to various artistic proposals and events. From time to time, Urszula sources archival material from her original dance teacher, one of the founding teachers of Polish Folkloric Ensembles “Syrenka” and “Warszawska Syrenka”, Mr Jozef Walczak, and a foundation member/soloist of one of Poland’s State Dance Ensembles “Mazowsze”.

Urszula believes that an Ensemble’s repertoire is far more interesting when it comprises a diversity of creative works by different people. Such variety is one of Lajkonik’s main strengths.

Lajkonik occasionally takes part in competitions and has won a number of Prizes in the Sydney Macdonald’s Performing Arts Challenge including First Prize for the Kujawiak-Oberek Duet in 2005.

Just over a year ago, in 2009, after farewelling a significant number of experienced and talented members who had grown up in Lajkonik , Lajkonik found itself in a period of renewal. However, the spirit was strong and remaining members stepped up to new challenges. Younger dancers moved up into the Senior Group where they quickly learned Lajkonik’s complex repertoire.

A new Lajkonik Committee took the opportunity to reassess its goals and values and to re-chart Lajkonik’s path. As a maturing Dance Ensemble, Lajkonik can openly and proudly declare that its core values are: respect, fairness and teamwork, in a family-friendly caring environment. Lajkonik exists to teach Polish culture to its youth, and also to promote it to the wider Australian public. Lajkonik pursues excellence in dance and performance, but also places importance on developing good citizenship, lawfulness, and community mindedness amongst its members in preparation for later life. Lajkonik is proud of its Polish heritage, and passionate about Polish Folk Dance. Lajkonik’s current President is Henryk Snoch. Henryk took over the reins in February 2010 and already has a host of new ideas for the future.

Lajkonik is currently in the hands of the following Committee members - Joasia Krol (Vice-President and Foundation Member), Ewa Pluta-Dulska (Treasurer), Dorota Zajaczkowska (Secretary), Zofia Manche, Kasia Dabrowski, Piotr Smietanka, and Ewa Wojcik. Without the support of Committee and the wider group of parents, Lajkonik would not survive.

Whilst Lajkonik membership has had its peaks and troughs over its twenty-year life, at times reaching up to as many as 70 dancers, Lajkonik currently has a membership of 36 dancers in two age categories, and welcomes new children and youth into its “family” to continue the good work that has been achieved so far. This work is beautifully recorded in our Lajkonik chronicle which has been kindly prepared by long serving member Zofia Manche.