MALI MYSTKOWIANIE Folk Ensembles was founded in 1984 under the auspices of the Community Centre in the commune of Kamionka Wielka and the Mystków Inhabitants Associations. It is headquartered in the Folk House in Mystków – a village founded in 1326, stretching across a dozen or so hills between the Łubinka and Kamionka rivers, to the east of Nowy Sącz.
The ensemble presents folk dance, singing, music and customs of the Sącz District (the ethnic group of Sącz Lachs) and the borderland between the Lach and Foothill Regions. The MALI MYSTKOWIANIE dances are mostly group routines based on the waltz rhythm with a lyrical character, as well as more lively dances, such as wściekła polka, walc szybki and suwana. Since 2014 MALI MYSTKOWIANIE has been placing special emphasis on reconstruction of the native folklore, that is the tradition concerned with the borderland between the Lach and Foothill Regions. Some old photographs that have ben found have enabled reconstruction of the traditional Lach costume from the village of Mystków as well as original dances, pieces of music and games remembered by the oldest ensemble members and villagers.
At the Festival the ensemble will present a programme entitled “In front of the household on Easter Sunday.” On Easter Sunday late afternoon children gather in front of the household. As they play, they are being watched by on of the fathers. As is customary in Mystków, along with a musical band he is about to leave and make bonfires. Tradition has it that on Easter Sunday inhabitants would gather around bonfires, chatting while youngsters would amuse themselves singing, dancing and jumping over fire. Thus, the Festival audience will see traditional fun and games, as well as Lach and Foothill Region dances such as królewna, szewczyk, wąż, walc szybki, warszawianka, polka z przyśpiewkami, szarpok and a number of polkas and waltzes.
Hanna Poręba is the ensemble leader, Patryk Rutkowski is the choreographer and ethnographic consultant, and Mateusz Szczurek is the singing and music instructor. The musical band composition is traditional and it comprises the first violin, the second violin, a clarinet, a trumpet and a double bass.
The ensemble presents folk dance, singing, music and customs of the Sącz District (the ethnic group of Sącz Lachs) and the borderland between the Lach and Foothill Regions. The MALI MYSTKOWIANIE dances are mostly group routines based on the waltz rhythm with a lyrical character, as well as more lively dances, such as wściekła polka, walc szybki and suwana. Since 2014 MALI MYSTKOWIANIE has been placing special emphasis on reconstruction of the native folklore, that is the tradition concerned with the borderland between the Lach and Foothill Regions. Some old photographs that have ben found have enabled reconstruction of the traditional Lach costume from the village of Mystków as well as original dances, pieces of music and games remembered by the oldest ensemble members and villagers.
At the Festival the ensemble will present a programme entitled “In front of the household on Easter Sunday.” On Easter Sunday late afternoon children gather in front of the household. As they play, they are being watched by on of the fathers. As is customary in Mystków, along with a musical band he is about to leave and make bonfires. Tradition has it that on Easter Sunday inhabitants would gather around bonfires, chatting while youngsters would amuse themselves singing, dancing and jumping over fire. Thus, the Festival audience will see traditional fun and games, as well as Lach and Foothill Region dances such as królewna, szewczyk, wąż, walc szybki, warszawianka, polka z przyśpiewkami, szarpok and a number of polkas and waltzes.
Hanna Poręba is the ensemble leader, Patryk Rutkowski is the choreographer and ethnographic consultant, and Mateusz Szczurek is the singing and music instructor. The musical band composition is traditional and it comprises the first violin, the second violin, a clarinet, a trumpet and a double bass.