For more than 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 formerly known as the “Twin Cities Polish Folk Dance Circle,” sponsored by the Polish National Alliance, Council 12. The group was started by Ray and Lillian Kurkowski and Stanley Baudur. In later years, Lillian 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, the current instructor.
Dolina has invited professional choreographers from Poland and the United States to teach several of the different suites of Poland. Dolina is fortunate to be associated with Wiesława Hazuka of Tarnów, Poland, who has worked with the group since 1983.
The group has grown from one set of costumes and phonograph records to 14 complete sets of costumes and a live orchestra.
Presently, Dolina averages around 30 members in the adult ensemble. Check out some of our adult dancers, their background and what they like most about being a performing member of Dolina.
Dolina has performed throughout the upper Midwest, Canada, Illinois, Michigan, Wisconsin, at Disney World in Orlando, Fla., in Hungary, and in various cities and towns throughout Poland.
Dolina members have participated in nine World Polish Folk Dance Festivals in Rzeszów, Poland, the most recent in July of 2017. Dolina will participate in the next such festival in the summer of 2019, joining in the Festival’s celebration of 50 year anniversary.
Rehearsals are held 6:30-10 p.m. Tuesday evenings at the Klub Haus on Rice Street in St. Paul. New members are always welcome!