A Polish dance group in Manchester that has been keeping children connected with their cultural heritage for a decade is urgently seeking more boys to join their ranks. Mlody Polonez, based in Moss Side, currently boasts around 30 regular members, but very few are boys.
Breaking the Stigma
Dorota Witkowska-Dziuma, 39, one of the three volunteers running the group, believes the lack of boys is due to parental attitudes. "They don't want to bring them because they prefer to go football or something like that. They don't feel like dance is for boys. But it's very nice, because it can grow a boy's confidence, for the girl's as well," she said.
She added that many boys are initially shy about dancing, and the girls rarely have the opportunity to dance with a male partner because there are so few boys in the group.
Celebrating a Decade of Dance
To mark their tenth anniversary, Mlody Polonez will perform at a major open-air festival in Manchester, hoping to inspire more boys to join. "I hope boys in the audience realise what fun Polish dance is and that it is definitely not just for girls. For instance, highlander dancers perform with a ciupagi, which is a kind of axe, and Kashubian dances include fishing scenes," Dorota said.
The group meets every Wednesday evening at the Polish RC Church of Divine Mercy on Lloyd Street North to learn traditional singing, dancing, and cultural traditions such as Dożynki (harvest festival) and Noc Kupały (summer solstice).
Rich Cultural Heritage
Mlody Polonez, meaning "young polonez," takes its name from one of Poland's national dances. The children learn national dances like the polonez, mazur, and oberek, as well as regional dances from Lublin, Silesia, and Kurpie. "Polish folklore is incredibly rich, colourful and diverse, and every region has its own costumes, music, choreography, props and traditions," Dorota said.
She described Polish folk dance as having "energy, colour and storytelling," with lively, joyful, and theatrical performances that include humorous scenes, romantic moments, and playful arguments between dancers.
From Adult Group to Youth Group
The youth group grew out of the adult dance group Polonez, which has been running in Manchester for 77 years and is one of the oldest Eastern European folk-dance groups in the UK. In 1953, Polonez performed at events for the Queen's coronation, including at the Free Trade Hall and in Alexander Park, and later appeared at the Royal Albert Hall.
Mlody Polonez was established in 2016 to prepare the next generation of dancers. The two groups are closely connected, and most of the young dancers have parents who are also folk dancers.
Upcoming Performance
Both groups will perform together at Góbéfest in Manchester's Cathedral Gardens on Sunday, 21 June, at 1pm. They will also run a free Polish dance workshop from 11am to 12pm. Dorota said, "We work very hard as volunteers to keep this group going... We very much hope to encourage more boys to sign up, so our traditions are not just shared down the female line."
Mlody Polonez meets on Wednesdays at 5.45pm at the Polish RC Church of Divine Mercy on Lloyd Street North in Moss Side. They can be contacted on 0790 720 3367.
