On September 25, at the picnic field of the Malta hotel, a family celebration of the “Wielkopolanie” Folk Group and the “Cepelia-Poznań” Children’s Folk Group took place. Over a hundred dancers performed traditional Wielkopolska dances together, participated in numerous competitions and games, sang songs from Wielkopolska, all in order to celebrate this day together. A day when two groups: children and adults, after 16 years, can again, as in the old days, spread Polish music and dance traditions under one name.

During the integration meeting, the director of the Youth House of Culture No. 3, Agata Stabrowska and the manager of the children’s band Jadwiga Banaś announced the change of the name of the Children’s Folk Group “Cepelia-Poznań” to the Children’s Folk Group “Wielkopolanie”.

The Children’s Team was founded in 1988 on the initiative of the  Henryk Maniecki, former manager of both groups. Currently, about 80 children from primary schools in Poznań and its vicinity practice in three age groups in dancing, singing and playing folk instruments such as ocarins and recorders. A band consisting of professional musicians also participates in the classes. The aim of the group’s activity is to provide children with authentic Polish folklore by cultivating traditions, folk customs, learning dances, songs, and regional dialects.

In the future, both groups of “Wielkopolanie” are planning joint concerts, trips, training, they will jointly protect Wielkopolska’s intangible heritage under the supervision of outstanding dance, music and singing instructors.

                                                                                                                    PK ​