MALI SŁOPNICZANIE

Edition 2022
At the foot of Mount Mogielica, which is so proud of its primacy over the Island Beskids, lies the village of Słopnice. It is somewhat of a borderland where - one might say - the Lachs are greeting the Highlanders. This meeting of the cultures is perfectly conveyed by the MALI SŁOPNICZANIE ensemble: the children perform in highland costume, but their dancing and singing are accompanied by the clarinet and other instruments composing the Lach musical band. “Through the songs, dances and melodies the ensemble continues old customs and rites native of the Słopnice region, and typifying the White Highlanders.
The date of the ensemble’s establishment contains three nines. And so this young ensemble has just turned 23; Danuta Więcek acts as its leader, and its beginnings were - and this is noteworthy, as such initiatives deserve praise - accommodated by the management of Primary School no. 1 in Słopnice.

Although the ensemble is young, its track record already includes participation in folk festivals and events, as well as the resultant success, which amounts to quite a lot also in the physical sense. Awards are regularly won for Słopnice not only by the whole ensemble, but also by its individual members, e.g. musicians and storytellers. It is the third time that MALI SŁOPNICZANIE have attended the Festival of the Children of Mountains.

What are they going to show this time? What childlike concern is going to capture the attention of the Nowy Sącz Festival audience? Probably, as usual, “what game are we going to play?” Is it going to be Ulijonka, Cebula i burok, Wilk i gosi, or perhaps some other game? And another important question: who is going to accompany them on the instruments? Will the grandfather’s button accordion and some borrowed violin do? Or maybe the band that is heading for a wedding party will agree to stay and play? We will see!