Polonez Song and Dance Ensemble

the first interstate trip to Canberra in 1969, where the concert was held under the patronage of the Governor General, Sir Ninian Stephens, and Lady Stephens requested to become Patron of the Ensemble, until Sir Ninian left Office, of the HELP POLAND LIVE campaign of 1982, where the Ensemble raised over $6000.00, a huge sum for the time, of dancing before the Pope in 1986, of the invitation to Vilnius (Wilno) to participate in the 15th Anniversary of the Kwiaty Polskie (Polish Flowers) Festival in 2003 and the subsequent visit to Poland to dance with local Groups in Warsaw and Poznan. Thus Polonez has toured most interstate capital cities, and many Victorian provincial cities as well. In 2005, 2008 and 2011, large contingents of POLONEZ members participated in the 13th, 14th and 15th World Festival of Polish Dance Groups held in Rzeszów, Poland in Wilno, Lithuania and Lwów, Ukraine. Prior to and after the Festivals, members travelled on memorable tours through Poland, Lithuania and the Ukraine, visiting the main Polish icons including Częstochowa, Auschwitz (Oświecim) and Ostra Brama. Polonez has participated In all of the Pol-Art Festivals, starting in 1975 in Sydney, circuiting Adelaide, Melbourne, Brisbane, and recently Hobart and the latest, Perth, in 2012. The POLONEZ orchestra has been with the Ensemble, and under the direction of Henryk Ruta, since its first concert in 1969 till recently when Henryk Ruta passed away in 2011. The Złote Dorotki, a vocal section, under the direction of Zosia Kaszubska are an integral part of the Group. Polonez has been involved with the Polish Debutante Balls from their inception in 1966. These Balls, initially organised by The Polish Community Council, have seen hundreds of young girls make their debut. These balls have combined the best of Polish tradition while evoking the dignity, grace, ceremony and splendour of bygone eras, especially highlighted in their most recent setting of the Malvern Town hall. For most of this time, Janina Czech has prepared the debutantes and their partners, in later years Barbara Czech has continued the tradition. Polonez has always been a community ensemble, based very much within the core of Polish community life, and gaining its strength from community support., and strong family involvement.