About Us

History of Polonez

The Beginning

Through the initiative of Steve and Lucy Ozdoba and choreographer Jacek Niemirski, the Polish Folk Dance group, Polonez, was founded in 1989 in association with Zgoda Polish Friendship Society, which is located in Vancouver. In the beginning, the group was small and largely composed of older enthusiasts, followed by their sons, daughters, nieces, and nephews. It wasn’t long before the group could perform with 8-10 couples.

The First Performances

After the first year of hard work, Polonez gave their first performance at the Polish Community Center in Vancouver. The first few performances enticed more children and youths to join the group, and to help promote and maintain Polish culture and traditional folk dances.Today for over 80 active members, Polish folk dance is not only an interesting and dynamic hobby, but also enriches the lives of the dancers and their audience.

Over the years, Polonez has become a permanent future at the variety of multicultural events in the Greater Vancouver area, all over BC. Canada and abroad. In fact, in 1993, 2002, 2005, 2008, and 2011, the group participated in an International Polish Folk Dance Festival in Rzeszow, Poland. This was an amazing experience for the dancers and it became a benchmark in the history of Polonez. It was during the first trip that many of the dancers realized why it was so important to maintain the Polish culture, and its traditional folk dances. From October 2005, Polonez become a non-profit organization and started a new chapter as an independent society. The success of the group has been possible due to the strong support of the Polish community, and hard volunteer work from the parents involved with Polonez for many years. The Polish Canadian Dance Society is continuously working to further the Polish culture in Vancouver, with our travels and performances in Canada and all over the world.

Award - Order of Poland

The Order of Merit Polish Republic Award was presented to
Mrs. Malgorzata and Mr. Jacek Niemirski, by the Ambassador of Poland from the Republic of Poland in Vancouver.
It was given during the 20th Anniversary Gala Concert of POLONEZ in 2009, for their outstanding achievement in promoting and propagating Polish culture in Canada, as well as throughout the world.

The Polonez Folk Dance Group develops team work, fosters a high standard of citizenship in Canadians of Polish descent, and promotes Polish dance, music and folklore.

YES - YOU CAN FOLK DANCE!

We welcome everyone who is eager to learn the beautiful, melodic and traditional Polish folk song and dances, in a disciplined yet fun environment.

Polonez Dance Workshop

It is a place where it's never too late to start dancing with us.
It is where those that love to dance can come together to celebrate polish dance, whether as a beginner or as a long-time dancer.

Age Groups

POLONEZ continues to offer a fun and positive environment to children, youth and young adults, where they can expand their knowledge and experience of Polish heritage.

Our dancers make lasting friendships and share unforgettable memories of traveling and performing together.
After years of dancing, they gain confidence, self- discipline and develop grace and poise.

The guiding principle of our kids group is to introduce an admiration of Polish folklore from an early age, which allows them to embrace the rich cultural heritage of Poland with pride.

Children as young as five years of age, are instructed in basic folk dance steps, authentic dances, and traditional folk songs.

The current repertoire of children group includes the Goralski Suite, dances from the regions Slask, Lublin, and Krakow (one of national dances of Poland), as well as a special Russian dance for the girls.

Our dancers are divided into age groups:

Children Group aged 5 -10 and Youth Group 11-16, meet at 4 P.M. each Saturday evening from September until June.

The Young Adult Group meets at 8:30 P.M. each Thursday evening from September until June.

Under the direction of our choreographer and artistic director Jacek Niemirski, dancers are provided with a strong background in both Polish national and regional dances, and dance technique.
Dancers also benefit from a better understanding of Polish culture and explore different interpretations of the Polish dance form.

Rehearsals include warm-up exercises, introduction to new dance steps and choreography, and fine-tuning of existing choreography. While the dancers work hard during rehearsal, they also enjoy time by socializing and having fun with fellow group members.

Rehearsals are an event that all dancers look forward to on a weekly basis. Having fun is a major part of Polonez Life!

We love spending time together away from rehearsals and frequently meet for private parties.

History of Polonez

Award - Order of Poland

Our Fantastic Team

Polonez Dance Workshop

It is a place where it's never too late to start dancing with us. It is where those that love to dance can come together to celebrate polish dance, whether as a beginner or as a long-time dancer.

Age Groups

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It is a place where it's never too late to start dancing with us.
It is where those that love to dance can come together to celebrate polish dance, whether as a beginner or as a long-time dancer.