The Director of Folk Group "Wielkopolanie" awarded with the Golden Badge!
Piotr Kulka, a renowned choreographer, teacher and culture manager, received the prestigious Artis Meritoria distinction in the category of Dance Folklore – reconstruction of archaic dance forms, awarded by the Polish Section of CIOFF (International Council of Associations of Folklore Festivals and Folk Art). This distinction honours people and institutions that have made a special contribution to the promotion and popularisation of Polish folklore and folk art. It is an expression of appreciation for Piotr Kulka’s long-standing commitment to preserving and developing the tradition of folk culture in Poland and his educational and choreographic activities.
Piotr Kulka is a recognised expert in the field of folklore, particularly in Greater Poland, who has been promoting the folk culture of his region for years. For 23 years, he has been the director of Folk Group „Wielkopolanie”, which operates under the patronage of the Provincial Public Library and the Centre for Cultural Animation in Poznań.
Piotr Kulka is involved in the popularization of Polish regional dances, especially those of Greater Poland, through numerous performances, workshops, publications and cooperation with cultural and educational institutions. As a dancer and choreographer, he has won many awards, including an award for performances of kujawiak and oberek at the International Student Folklore Festival, the Golden Badge of the Commission for Polish Dances of the Polish Section of CIOFF, a Diploma for special achievements in cultivating folk traditions of Southern Wielkopolska, the Honorary Badge of the Marshal of the Wielkopolska Province – for services to the Wielkopolska Province and the Award of the Marshal of the Wielkopolska Province in the field of artistic creativity, promotion and protection of cultural assets. He is also a multiple winner of the scholarship of the Marshal of the Wielkopolska Province in the field of culture. Piotr Kulka is the author and co-author of numerous articles and book publications, such as “Selected dances and games of Greater Poland folklore”, “Colouring books – Polish folk costumes”, “Traditional games and games in Greater Poland”, “Greater Poland folk instruments”, “Folk melodies from Ostrów” or “Folk songbook”, which help teachers and instructors in teaching regional dances and traditions. It is thanks to these publications that he disseminates Greater Poland culture, and the issues he discovers and describes provide the basis for stage activities, animations or dances, showing the truth of Greater Poland’s rituals. His activities also include cooperation with folk groups, organisation of events such as dance competitions or education of children and youth as part of concerts and educational projects. By cooperating with many folk groups and educational centres, he promotes Greater Poland culture and popularises it among all generations of artists. Thanks to his knowledge, he reconstructs forgotten customs and rituals, and by transferring them to the stage or to the natural environment, he gives them durability and subregional distinctiveness. The greatest achievements of his work include the reconstruction of “Odpust na Biskupiźnie”, “Pierzoch” – the custom of tearing feathers, “Wywożenie młodożeńcowej”, “Poznański Podkoziołek”, “Oczepiny Bambrów Poznańskich”, “Podkoziołak na Biskupiźnie”, “Zapusty wsi Głogowa”, “Izby Władysława Nadobnego” – a violinist from Wielkopolska and others. In addition to working on customs, Piotr Kulka recreated forgotten dances and music from the lands of Poznań, Raszków, Tursk, Pałuki, Kalisz, Dąbrówka and Szamotuły. Thanks to many years of research and commitment, the past dances and songs of Wielkopolska have entered the repertoire of presentations not only of regional groups, but also in Poland and the world. Piotr Kulka is also an expert in traditional folk costumes, which he particularly cares about in the context of stage performances. Thanks to his involvement, various groups in Wielkopolska present authentic elements of regional culture, such as dances, music and restored costumes from various subregions of Wielkopolska.
As a person extremely involved in the world of traditional culture, he sits on the jury during numerous competitions and reviews in the country.
Piotr Kulka’s knowledge and incredible cooperation skills in protecting the heritage of native folklore are appreciated not only in Poland, but also abroad, including in the USA, Canada, Sweden, Ukraine and others.
