In two years’ time the Slovakian ensemble PODPOĽANČEK will be celebrating its golden jubilee, even though its name is only 6 years old. One might say then that today, when it is 48 years old, it is 2 decades older than the country it represents. Slovakia as a central-European, unitary republic has been in existence since 1993.
It might seem that the ensemble from the town of Detva in the Podpoľanie region will not have much tradition to present. Fortunately, there is more to Slovakia than the last 30 years; its history encompasses the Principality of Nitra established already in the 8th century, and as of 906, alongside Bohemia and Moravia, it constituted Great Moravia, where Saints Cyril and Methodius acted as apostolic missionaries.
As Slovakia traces its roots back to the Principality of Nitra, PODPOĽANČEK traces its roots back to the Pioneers’ Club in Detva, where in 1974 Viera Blazekova and Adela Hlaukova founded RATOLEST Children's Folk Ensemble. Later on, as Great Moravia came on stage in the history of Slovakia, so the history of Detva witnessed the appearance of DETVANCEK, the ensemble whose activity has been continued by PODPOĽANČEK since 2014.
Both the Podpoľanie region and the town of Detva can be found in the very centre of Slovakia. The dances that we are going to see during the FESTIVAL OF THE CHILDREN OF MOUNTAINS come from that area. Choreography is frequently accompanied by songs performed with music played on a violin, a double bass, a pipe, a diatonic button accordion... And all this will be taking place “In a green meadow,” so that - as often is the case during the Nowy Sącz Festival - the stylized form of children’s play and games is made more realistic.
Will we be able to tell the difference between stylization and pure tradition? We will see!
As Slovakia traces its roots back to the Principality of Nitra, PODPOĽANČEK traces its roots back to the Pioneers’ Club in Detva, where in 1974 Viera Blazekova and Adela Hlaukova founded RATOLEST Children's Folk Ensemble. Later on, as Great Moravia came on stage in the history of Slovakia, so the history of Detva witnessed the appearance of DETVANCEK, the ensemble whose activity has been continued by PODPOĽANČEK since 2014.
Both the Podpoľanie region and the town of Detva can be found in the very centre of Slovakia. The dances that we are going to see during the FESTIVAL OF THE CHILDREN OF MOUNTAINS come from that area. Choreography is frequently accompanied by songs performed with music played on a violin, a double bass, a pipe, a diatonic button accordion... And all this will be taking place “In a green meadow,” so that - as often is the case during the Nowy Sącz Festival - the stylized form of children’s play and games is made more realistic.
Will we be able to tell the difference between stylization and pure tradition? We will see!