History                                                                                                        Polish

For over 20 years, the Northwest Center Traditional Polish Folk Dancers of the Polish Roman Catholic Union of America from Chicago has been preserving and promoting Polish culture in the USA and abroad. The ensemble was founded in 1984 under the artistic direction of an internationally known Polish choreographer Celina Roznowska and her daughter Anna Krysinski. Mieczyslaw Dzis, the multi-instrumentalist and singer has lead the ensemble as a music and choral director.

Today, the Northwest Center Traditional Polish Folk Dancers consists of 200 young singers and dancers ranging from age 3 to 25. Perhaps the most advanced and recognized Center’s ensembles lead by Cecylia Roznowski are "New Polonia" and "Polonia". The most of "Polonia" group are students. This group has very rich experience of participation in different folk festivals.

The goal of the Center is to pass on to the next generation the treasures of Polish folklore with its uniqueness, diversity, and power of expression. The Center's artistic repertoire includes melodies, songs, and dances from all regions of Poland: North and South, East and West as well as Polish national dances. The distinctive feature of the performances of Center of Polish Dance that separates it from other folk groups is the approach of the choreographer to maintain the authentic dance patterns of the Polish dances.

In the 20 years of activity of the Center, Polonia Ensemble has actively participated in the cultural and social life of the Polish and American society, with the splendor of authentic costumes, vitality and joy of polish songs and dances. Among the most popular are: Celebrate Poland at Navy Pier, Polish Heritage Month, Taste of Polonia, Copernicus Celebration at Adler Planetarium, Beginning of New Millennium Celebration at the Chicago Historical Society, Winter Wonderland Festival at Navy Pier, Celebrate Poland at Navy Pier, National Conference of the Early Childhood Educators at McCormick Place, Unity Day Celebration at O’Hare Airport, Passport to the World at Children’s Museum at Navy Pier, and St. Joseph’s Day Celebration. 

"Polonia" proudly took part in many festivals around the world and received a number of awards including the Gold Medal of "Wspolnota Polska" for promoting Polish culture, the main recognition – Festidanza CIOFF 2006 in Peru, and "Grand Prix" in the Euro Folk 2005 in Losenez, Bulgaria.

 In the past years our group has performed in the following international festivals:

• 2009 - V International Folklore Festival "Paz y Cultura para el Mundo", Ibarra, Ecuador
• 2008 - XXIII International Folklore Festival “Ponte do Mouro and Alvarinho”, Portugal, CIOFF
• 2008 - IX Muestra Folclorica, Villa de Villacastin, Spain
• 2008 - Festivals in Sarria, Portomarín, Caldas De Resis in Galicia, Spain
• 2008 - XIV International Folk Dance Festival in Rzeszow, Poland
• 2007 - International Festivals of Culture - Puerto Rico
• 2007 - Festival in Anapolis, Brazil, CIOFF
• 2006 - XXIV International Festival of Folkloric Dances Festidanza, Arequipa - Peru, CIOFF
• 2005 - Euro Folk - Losenez, Bulgaria
• 2005 - XI International Folk Festival in Brusy, Poland, CIOFF
• 2004 - Festival of Nations in Hungary (2004)
• 2003 - Polonijny Festiwal Zespołów Folklorystycznych, Iwonicz Zdroj, Poland
• 2002 - Festival in I-LAN, Taiwan, CIOFF
• 2000 - Israel
• 1998 - Italy
•  and many others in USA and Canada

Polonia” Ensemble has been honored to perform for the Pope John Paul II twice, in Castel Gandolfo in July of 1998 and during His Holiness historic visit to the Holy Land in March of 2000.