Saturday Meetings with Ensemble Leaders

Because the FESTIVAL OF THE CHILDREN OF MOUNTAINS is like an iceberg. Rising above the everyday, its bright peak shoots up into the sky, visible from afar.

The first day brings a Holy Mass, during which the participants, dressed in traditional costumes, sing, present the Bible readings, the prayer of the faithful, and offer the gifts in a procession… The first day also features dancing in the Market Square and a meet-and-greet ceremony at the Town Hall… Last but not least, the first day is also about the parade starting off from the Stara Sandecja Common, and the inaugural concert in the very centre of the Town. The whole of Nowy Sącz is steeped in atmosphere, because it sees…

But this order would not be there, were it not for the vastness of the unseen. On Saturday, there’s a briefing for the ensembles’ guides, so that they can go out as messengers to their ensembles with the one mission: let there be harmony. On the Saturday evening, Piotr Gąsienica, the Festival’s organisational director; Monika Kurzeja, the head of the organisational office; Piotr Droździk, the photographer; Karina Gąsienica-Karwacka, a volunteer working in the media; and the author of this text paid a visit to each one of the ensembles with the most important question: is everything all right? And... with the programme for the coming days.

The day was drawing to a close, and in Stary Sącz, Nawojowa and Nowy Sącz, the ensembles’ accommodation places were abuzz with life, a mix of various languages, and even with music. Right from the start, there was real comradeship happening in the form of fun and games, dancing, singing and chatting, all trying to break language barriers.

At the meeting with the Festival’s organisers, the ensemble leaders learnt that the mass has been celebratedsince the very beginning of the FESTIVAL OF THE CHILDREN OF MOUNTAINS, and has always been ecumenical in nature, as the Festival also draws guests from countries where the Roman Catholic faith is not the dominant religion. They are invited to read the prayers of the faithful, to offer the gifts, and to sing hymns. They also learnt that after the Mass there would be a group photo taken by a drone, followed by a meeting with the town authorities. They learnt what the parade and the inaugural concert would look like, featuring the highly symbolic music of the keys to the gates of Nowy Sącz.

This evening and these get-togethers are also some of the sources of organisation for the days ahead. What will the national days and their previews look like? What will the concerts in Krynica-Zdrój look like, preceded by activities on Mount Parkowa, as well as visits to the heart of Kraków and the COGITEON Science Centre? What will this special comradeship-building evening on Tuesday in Nawojowa be like, when all the ensembles will be getting together?

And on that organising evening in Nawojowa, it was as if time had stood still. Or perhaps had circled back? At the rectangular table that had been hastily set up - and which in our imagination was definitely round - sat down Małgorzata Łukasik-Kogut, the leader of the PIĄTKOWIOKI ensemble. Interestingly enough, for so many years, as assistant to Józef Broda, the Festival’s legendary artistic director, Małgorzata used to brief the ensembles on the first day during precisely the same Saturday tours.

Director Piotr Gąsienica also outlined the programme for the final day, noting that the closing concert would be prepared in advance during the prologue rehearsals, although the most important aspect of the performance will be to express comradeship through the national dances.

And just to think that the ensembles will be preparing for these dances all week long, just as the children will be forging friendships all week long to build peace – so very much needed – in the adults’ world. But we, the audience, will only see the result – albeit a most beautiful one: the comradeship dance. That’s all we’ll see. Because the FESTIVAL OF THE CHILDREN OF MOUNTAINS is like an iceberg…