For almost 60 years, the Dolina Polish Folk Dancers have been entertaining audiences around the United States and Poland. It is with great pride and determination that Dolina has survived and grown to promote Polish culture through its rich history of song and dance.

The group was formally known as the "Twin Cities Polish Folk Dance Circle" sponsored by the Polish National Alliance, Council 12. The group was started by Mr. and Mrs. Ray Kurkowski and Mr. Stanley Baudur. In the later years Mrs. Lillian Kurkowski was instrumental in keeping the group active through the International Institute of Minnesota. Dolina has had many instructors over the years - Myrtle Hoppe, Leila Rae Jambor-Krenik, Val Jambor-McGill, Patricia Moore, Michael Jaruch and Edziu Rajtar, our current instructor.

We have invited professional choreographers from Poland and the United States to teach several of the different suites. We are fortunate to be associated with Wieslawa Hazuka from Tarnow, Poland who has worked with the group since 1983. We grew from one set of costumes and phonograph records to fourteen complete sets of costumes, our own orchestra and choir. Our present artistic director, Mr. Edziu Rajtar, became involved with Polish dance in 1976.

Presently Dolina has 30 members plus our own orchestra directed by Mr. Albert Kugler and choir, directed by Kasia Gawlik-Luiken. We have been fortunate to perform all over the upper Midwest, Canada, Illinois, Michigan, Wisconsin, Disney World in Orlando, Florida and various places throughout Poland. Dolina members have also participated in eight World Polish Folk Dance Festivals in Rzeszow, Poland, the most recent in July, 2005.

Regular rehearsal location will be announced during the summer months.

If you would like any information please email us