Day 4, August 10 (Friday): Parade and Opening Ceremony

Friday dawned bright and early for all of us; some rose, some shone, some just rolled over…

Friday was the day we were all looking forward to, our official introduction to the public of Anapolis and Brazil.  After a restful nights sleep and hearty breakfast, we were led out to downtown Anapolis, to take part in a parade that would show us off to our captive audience.  We had a wonderful walk through downtown, singing our hearts out and showing off key aspects of several dances.  Rzeszow was a kick with the crowds, and it personally gave me a great opportunity to belt out some strong bars!  At the end of the parade we were greeted by the Mayor of Anapolis; a wonderful man, with a politicians knack for giving speeches.  Each of the dance groups then performed a short sample number for the gathered crowd, an appetizer of sorts to rouse the enthusiasm of the populace for more extravagant performances.  Our presentation, a segment from the Krakowiak, allowed us to show off not only our dancing prowess, but our vocal skills as well, as our choral section provided the entirety of the accompaniment for the dancers.  The audience provided their rousing support at this performance, their cheers actually helped our concentration by giving us a little burst of adrenaline, and one of the groups started providing some rhythmical support with their traditional instruments.  A wondrous combination indeed!

After knowledge of a job well done, (and a satisfying meal in our bellies), we were more than ready to take on the challenge of our first official performance.  We had our first practice session that got us organized for our appearance in the opening ceremony.  This bit went rather quickly, especially accounting for the language barrier that was present before our wonderful translator, Guiliana, informed us of the intentions of the head choreographer.  A quick run through of our program followed, and a final bit of relaxation commenced before the concert.

The opening ceremony was a simple, yet elegant affair, where each of the groups performed select dance numbers.  Many of the Latin American groups performed dances that seemed familiar to us all as they were based off of samba or rumba type pieces.  Other groups such as the Brazilian group that was sharing our hotel performed a very unique piece that was part war dance and part mystical pyrotechnics.  Polonia ended up performing the Suite from the region of Slask, as well as the Krakowiak.

As night broke out, we soon realized that our short program would be plagued by something we didn’t expect… the cold.  The night got to be rather chilly, and for those waiting in the back lot for their chance to go on, it got to be somewhat uncomfortable.  Our fears of catching pneumonia were quickly allayed when our performance commenced.  The warm feelings generated by the crowd were enough to drive away the chill of evening air and their ear-splitting cheers drove us onward toward goodliness*!

Their cries of excitement and applause will forever be burned into my memory.  But most important of all, it is the knowledge that I have expanded these peoples horizons and their sincere appreciation and admiration of our effort that makes everything worthwhile.

Friday night’s sleep was well deserved, and all went to bed with satisfied hearts.   

Day 5, August 11 (Saturday): First Concert

The rising of the new sun heralded another exciting day for Polonia.  The day began simply for some, a quick dip in the pool or some volleyball.  But there was one thing even more exciting… our first animation was today!  This does not mean that a cartoonist was to do our likenesses; instead we were to present a dance and then invite members of the audience to try their hands (and feet) at a selected Polish dance.  I would have recommended a number from the Highland regions, but everyone thought that a Polonaise was a good idea.  This was not to be however. 

Upon arrival at the venue, we were somewhat disheartened to find out that the entire seating area was deserted.  It seems that our show time coincided with the local siesta, so it appeared that no one would show up.  In cases such as this, I go by the old adage, “When life gives you lemons, use them as ammunition.”  Instead of an animation, this became a general practice for the following day’s song and dance numbers.  Piekna Nasza went beautifully, and the song went great as well.  Plus my fear that there would be no spectators was unfounded, as the Consul General from the Polish embassy in Brasilia, Piotr Pisarewicz, and his wife Ewa, drove all the way from the capitol specifically to see us perform.  Another welcome addition was our Glee Club from the hotel.  Their cheers filled the emptiness as if it were a full house!  During the performance of Rzeszow, this gave us the boost we needed to pull off many of the most difficult moves.  This performance was especially powerful and emotional for the Consul General and his wife, for one of the parents related to us that both of them had tears in their eyes as they cheered us on!  

Our good fortune with this performance seemed to be a harbinger for Sunday’s concert, but instead of dwelling on omens, we went shopping!  After massive restocking of vital supplies, we began our final practice before our big day.  Sunday was to be our crowning jewel, a 45 minute performance that showcased our greatest dances!  The final practice polished out any of the rougher areas in the dances, as well as allowed for some last minute adjustments.  Saturday nights rest was well earned and quite necessary for the Sunday performance. 

So until the next installment, farewell from the land of parrots, palm trees, and dance!

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"I was looking at the blueprints on how to open the window. Those aren't the blueprints on how to open the window! Those are the blueprints of the Boulder Dam!?"

Peter Niedzinski

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