Piotr Kulka
Director of the group
Piotr Kulka is a choreographer, pedagogue, culture manager and a long-time director of Folkloristic Group Wielkopolanie. He has been nominated an expert of Polish Section CIOFF (International Council of Organizations of Folklore Festivals and Folk Arts), he is also a member of Polskie Towarzystwo Ludoznawcze (Polish Folkloric Society).
In 1995 Piotr Kulka has graduated from University of Life Sciences in Poznan. In 2003 he became a certified folk dance instructor. Moreover, in 2012 he completed a course in European Law and in 2018 he graduated from The Poznan School of Communication, Politology and International Relations at the faculty of Pedagogy.
Since 1986 Piotr Kulka has been a dancer and a soloist of Folkloristic Group ‘Cepelia – Poznań’ (current ‘Wielkopolanie’). He also performed in Ardente Sole Court Ballet in Cracow. In 2004 Piotr Kulka won a prize at the International Student Folk Festival in Katowice for the best performance of kujawiak and oberek. The Jury consisted of the most respected experts of Polish Folklore.
He has also performed in “Polish Christmas Eve’ directed by Beata Wachowicz in Great Theatre in Poznan and in TV recording of Jacek Kowalski music project.
Piotr Kulka took the responsibility of being an Organization Director of International Folk Meetings in Poznan in the years 1995 – 2000.
In 2001 Piotr Kulka became a director of Folkloristic Group Wielkopolanie, which till now functions under the protection of Provincial Public Library in Poznan.
Piotr Kulka was also an organizator of Nationwide Polish Dance Competition “Poznańska Bamberka” between 2002 and 2007. The competition was supported by Provincial Public Library in Poznan and CIOFF. For his great work, Piotr Kulka was awarded with a Golden Badge by Polish Section of CIOFF.
Piotr Kulka has been cooperating with Adam Mickewicz University. He conducts dance classes for students of the University and for foreign students who take part in intercultural Exchange projects. Moreover, as a renowned expert, Piotr Kulka hold consultations for Dance groups, especially in Wielkopolska region.
He has been also working with the Poznan Branch of Polish Community by leading dance classes and creating choreographies for such groups as: ‘Dolinianka’, ‘Wołuńskie Słowiki’, ‘Gródek Podolski’.
Piotr Kulka has been actively collaborating with Teacher Training Center in Poznan. He educates teachers from Wielkopolska region in regional and national dances.
For many years Piotr Kulka has been working with Poznań Branch of Vilnius and Vilnius Land Society, with which he’s been organizing celebrations of Kaziuki dedicated to Saint Kazimierz, Poland and Lithuania’s Patron.
Piotr Kulka directed folkloristic spectacles, i.a. Harvest Festival in Lubasz in 2006 and Kupala Night in 2009 presented at World Youth Day in 2009.
Piotr Kulka performs several dozens of educational concerts in the Wielkopolska region. He educated children and youth, allowing them to get to know folk traditions. He also took part in ‘Korzenie’ (‘Roots’) Project organized by the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage.
Moreover, Piotr Kulka leaded classes also for diseased and disabled children in hospitals and social homes. He also found time to teach dancing children in wheelchairs and those suffering from Down syndrome in Social Home in Mielżyn.
Piotr Kulka works also as a judge at numerous Folk Reviews and Dance Competitions. He also trains future dance instructors in Mazowiecki Instytut Kultury (Masovian Cultural Institute).
Since 2016 Piotr Kulka has been learning to play popular instrument from West Wielkopolska region called ‘kozioł weselny’
Piotr Kulka is also an author of numerous book publications related to folk traditions, instrument and dancing, such as: ’Wybrane tańce i zabawy folkloru wielkopolskiego’, ‘Kolorowanki – Polskie Stroje Ludowe’, ‘Tradycyjne gry i zabawy w Wielkopolsce’, ‘Wielkopolskie instrumenty ludowe’.
