Wawel Folk Ensemble

On Monday, March 28, 2016, members of the Wawel Folk Ensemble participated in the Second Annual Śmigus Dyngus Day Party at the Polish Village Café in Hamtramck, Michigan.

Dyngus Day (Łany Poniedziałek or Wet Monday) is celebrated in Poland and other Slavic countries on Easter Monday.  Traditionally boys throw water on the girls or spank them with pussy willow branches.  The girls have their turn against the boys on Tuesday.  In America Dyngus Day celebrations are huge in Buffalo, New York and in Cleveland, Ohio. 
The Polish Village Cafe's Dyngus Day celebrations included: music by the Misty Blues Polka Band, a parade of umbrellas from the Polish Village Café to the Polka Dot Club to the Polish Sea League (prizes were given to the best decorated umbrella), a water balloon toss in the Polish Village Cafe's parking lot, accordionist Mike Zawojsky and a performance by the Wawel Folk Ensemble.

For its performance, Wawel presented its Sieradz and Rzeszow suites along with the Krakowiak and its Saxernet Polka.

On Sunday, March 27, 2016, members of the Wawel Folk Ensemble participated in procession during Sweetest Heart of Mary Church in Detroit, Michigan's Easter Sunday Resurrection Services.  A longstanding tradition for the Ensemble, the group has participated in the procession since the 1970's.

Wawel's next public performance is today as part of the Dyngus Day celebrations to be held at the Polish Village Café in Hamtramck, Michigan this evening.

On Saturday, March 12, 2016, members of the Wawel Folk Ensemble performed at the American Polish Century Club in Sterling Heights, Michigan's annual St. Patrick's Day/St. Joseph's Day Party.  Wawel was among several entertainers representing the Polish side of the event and presented its Sieradz suite, as well as its dances from Stara Warszawska and the Saxonet Polka.  Polish dance performances were also delivered by the PRCUA Opole Dancers and the PWA Zamek Dancers.

In addition to the Polish folk dance performances, guests at the event had the opportunity to listen to the music of the Misty Blues polka band, Irish singers, and a troupe of Irish step dancers.

Upcoming Performances/Appearances

3/27/16 Resurrection Mass Procession - Sweetest Heart of Mary Church - Detroit, MI
3/28/16 Dyngus Day Event - Polish Village Café - Hamtramck, MI
4/08/16 Polish American Night with the Detroit Pistons - Auburn Hills, MI
4/10/16 Blessing of the Polish Folk Dance Ensembles - St. Hyacinth Church - Detroit, MI

We hope to see you at some of these upcoming events.  Please check back for further updates.