2nd International Folklore Festival
„Eurofolk” 2003
The 2nd International Folklore Festival „EUROFOLK – Zamość 2003″ took place on July 16th-20th, 2003.
The following ensembles participated in the festival:
EKPOLISTIKOS OMILIS GIANNITSON „PELLA” – Greece
KULTURNO-UMETNICKO DRUSTVO POLITEHNICKE AKADEMIE „NOVI BEOGRAD” – Serbia
KIS DUNA – Hungary
RANCHO FOLKLORICO DE MONCARAPACHO – Portugal
Song and Dance Ensemble „GROJCOWIANIE” – Poland
Song and Dance Ensemble „ZAMOJSZCZYZNA” – Poland – the hosts of the 2nd Eurofolk festival.
The festival featured guest performances by:
BALLET SSABLE D’OR – Algeria
MAGISTERIAL – Mexico
„DREWUTNIA” – Poland
Program of the festival
16.07.2003
– parade through the streets of Zamość (Partyzantów, Łukasińskiego, Akademicką to the Great Market Square)
– festival opening ceremony
– festival concerts – Great Market Square:
17.07.2003
– festival concerts – Great Market Square:
18.07.2003
– performances by the bands – Great Market Square:
– festival concerts – Great Market Square:
19.07.2003
– festival concerts – Great Market Square
20.07.2003
– finale concert – Great Market Square
– festival miss and mister pageant
– the finale
Announcers:
Joanna Matwiejczuk, Andrzej Lewczyk
On July 16th, 2003 the festival procession set off from the Zamość House of Culture. Its colorfulness attracted the attention of the inhabitants of Zamość, who went on with the ensembles. The parade covered the following streets: Partyzantów, Łukasińskiego, Akademicką, and it ended at the Great Market Square.
For the opening all ensembles danced a traditional polonaise. Afterwards, each of the ensembles presented itself during a brief program, thus giving the inhabitants of Zamość and others a foretaste of what the next few days had in store for them.
The audience gave great applause to Portugal, who were amazing with their spectacular revolutions and turns. The turns were so fast that the female dancer had to put one leg behind her partner, so as not to fall into the audience.
For the first time everyone from the audience and the participants had the chance to vote for a male and female dancer whom they consider the most likable and beautiful. The people who gained most of the votes were dubbed the miss and mister of the festival during the last concert. The hearts of the audience in Zamość were stolen by the beautiful and likable Greek girl Sisi and a charming little Portuguese girl. This part of the festival was received so warmly by everyone that it was decided it would be its regular part.
During the festival the ensembles had the chance to get to know each other and learn each other’s dance steps. Already during the first concert the Serbians taught us one of their dances. During the folk night which was held in the Nowe Miasto restaurant we all learned the Greek zorba, the guests learned the dances of highlanders from Żywiec. Grojcowianie and the boys from Zamojszczyzna showed a real display of skill.
A picnic and bonfire were also planned as part of the festival, but the weather proved unfavorable and graced us with a heavy, unrelenting summer rain. The picnic had to be held in the lobby of the Zamość House of Culture instead. Jokes and conversations never ceased.
However, everything good has to come to an end. New acquaintances were made, as well as friendships. Everyone learned about the culture of other nations. We danced and performed together and the last dance “mingled” all of the ensembles. Once more we were sorry the festival had again come to an end… but in the future lies another year and another Eurofolk.
