The Lajkonik Polish Folk Ensemble brings colorful, fun, and exciting Polish folk songs and dances to the Tucson community and beyond. Performing in colorful authentic traditional costumes, we bring Polish traditional dancing to life on stage with humor and energy. Presenting a wide array of folk dances from Poland, Lajkonik has performed in Phoenix, Las Vegas, Salt Lake City, Seattle, Portland, and in Rzeszow Poland four times at the international festival of Polish folk ensembles. We are invited to perform at various festivals Slavic, Serbian, Hungarian, Lithuanian, Russian and Mexican concerts. And we performed at almost every Polish Festival in Phoenix.
Lajkonik is recognized for their excellence by the Southwest Folk Alliance, Tucson Pima Arts Council, Polish American Congress of Arizona and the Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Consulate General of the Republic of Poland in Los Angeles, Wspolnota Polska and The Chancellery of the Prime Minister. All wonderful costumes, workshops with experts, travel support to performances are also possible through fundraising and private donations and donation by Polish Cottage and Arizona Polish Club in Tucson. Although independent, the group benefits from St. Cyril of Alexandria Catholic Church in Tucson, which provides rehearsal facilities and encouragement.
Founder Joanna Schmit was a 2010 recipient of Polish Heritage Award from the Polish American Congress of Arizona and named a 2019 Recognized Polish Activist in the US West. Her son Matthew Schmit was selected a 2015 Young Polish Leader in US by Polish Consul General in Los Angeles. Joanna and Matthew Schmit were recipients of a 2017 Master-Apprentice Artist Award from the Southwest Folklife Alliance.
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The Piast Dance Group was founded in November 2011, so that the youth of Las Vegas could experience and love polish folklore and its stories, as their parents and grandparents do. Twenty-six volunteers gathered and an unusual group was formed, in which parents dance together with their children.
Most of the dancers did not have any prior experience and learned from the basics, but there was willingness, enthusiasm, and a lot of fun. They choreographed the first dance routines, sewed costumes, and began performing for the Polish Community in Las Vegas. After some time, they were invited to different locations on the West Coast to perform and showcase their passion for Polish Folklore.
As of today, the group has about 22 regular dancers and they’ve performed in Las Vegas, Phoenix, San Diego, Los Angeles, Yorba Linda, and Seattle. In the summer of 2019, they were participants of the prestigious World Festival of the Polish Folk Ensembles in Rzeszów, Poland.
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Dancing its way into the hearts of American and European audiences alike, Krakusy Polish Folk Dance Ensemble based in Los Angeles California has built a reputation as being an ambassador of Polish culture. The energetic Polish dances are presented with colorful costumes and authentic music, captivating diverse audiences.
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Song & Dance Group „Polish Highlanders” – Association of the Podhales of North America #70, Phoenix, Arizona
