SUMMARY of XXV IDF "FOLK HARBOR" 2018

THE 25^TH EDITION OF THE INTERNATIONAL DANCE FESTIVAL „FOLK HARBOR” POLAND - SUMMARY

The International Dance Festival “Folk Harbor” held in Gorzów Wlkp. in Poland is finished, there is next 25 years in ahead. This year you can hear about the festival even in Indonesian and Romanian TV, so the organizers find it as a positive feedback from participants. The jubilee festival lasted 7 days and each day was full of new experiences. The festival includes the dance competition, but participants had a lot of opportunities to share time and integrate with other dancers and musicians and also with citizens of cities in region.

The very big success was the new activity of the Creative Relaxation Zone, which was the place of relax, workshops, games and performances dedicated to citizens, especially families. The dance groups had a good chance to integrate with the audience there. The main concerts were organized on the big stage in the Amphitheater in Gorzów, where each group presented their folklore, but also danced common choreography of national Polish dance Polonez - in pairs with dancers of the hosting group “Mali Gorzowiacy”. Every group was welcomed in traditional way – with bread and salt, and also each group left the festival with the statuette and diploma of participation. All the time big group of volunteers were supporting the ensembles, not only guides, but also special group of fan club called “Friends of festival” were taking care of good experience of the participants.

The important moment was a dance competition in the Gorzów Theater, judged by the international Artistic Board. There were 4 prizes and the Grand Prix with financial award, which were awarded to the Indonesian group, and also a few additional awards.

The results of the 25^th “Folk Harbor” festival are as follows:

Grand Prix and award 1500€: Dance Group "Labsky" Indonesia
1st prize: Folk Dance Ensemble "Shalkyma" Kazakshstan
2nd prize: Folk Dance Groups "Pienupite" and "Dzismeite" Latvia
3rd prize: Folklorni Studio Buchlovice Czech Republic
4th prize: Representative Folk Dance Ensemble "Haskovo" Bulgaria

Special awards:

The award for fusing the traditional folk music with contemporary art and for searching for dance movements: Selangor Education Heritage Culture Group Malaysia (older group)
The award for experimental fusion of folk music with movements: Selangor Education Heritage Culture Group Malaysia (younger group)
The award for cultivating music and dance traditions: "Mugurii Tarinei" Ensemble Romania
The award for the preservation of the Polish folk tradition: Folk Dance Group "Tradycja" Poland
The award for dance culture and very high technique: The Dancing Theater "On a visit to Fairy-Tale" Ukraine
The most friendly dance group: "Mugurii Tarinei" Ensemble Romania
The best choreography: Folk Dance Ensemble "Shalkyma" Kazakhstan
The best male dancer: Martin Dilyanov from Representative Folk Dance Ensemble "Haskovo" Bulgaria
The best female dancer: Valeriia Ivanova from The Dancing Theater "On a visit to Fairy-Tale" Ukraine
The best folk music band: Folklorni Studio Buchlovice Czech Republic

The organizers want to say big thanks to all groups, thanks for your energy and for sharing your culture with us. We hope the festival will still grow and provide you very good experience in Western Poland.

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