winner of the Grand Prix Golden "Orpheus", a gold medal and the title "Absolute World Champion" for 2015 from the World Championship of Folklore "World Folk 2015"

Awards

POLIGRODZIANIE - POLAND
Brief Introduction

It all started in year 1973 when Zbigniew Solak established the Folk Dance Ensemble at the Poznan University of Technology, the oldest folk institution in academic environment of Poznan at present. During its 40-years activity Poligrodzianie has become one of the most spectacular and biggest folk institutions in Poland with Academic Culture Centre enabling over 100 students and PhD students learning singing, various styles of dancing and playing instruments and youth classes for over 40 children. In 2000 the international classes were introduced to help foreign students getting in touch with Polish heritage.
The Ensemble consists of over 40 dancers and singers divided into two performing groups and the biggest Polish folk music orchestra composed of 17 fulltime, professional musicians accompanied by five international jazz musicians.
As one of the greatest Polish cultural heritage ambassadors, the Ensemble visited 58 countries of the World and travelled over million kilometers during its over 110 foreign tours, performing in front of Jean Paul II twice, Mayor of New York, King of Kota Kinabalu Region, UNESCO four times, Presidents and Ministers of many countries like Israel, Malta, Malaysia, South Korea, China, Ireland or Mexico. Poligrodzianie were the first representative of Poland to participate in the Representations of the Regions of European Community held in Rennes. They paved the way for Polish artists in many parts of the World, being sometimes even the first Poles visiting those sides.
The Group gave concerts on the prestigious stages of Milan and Nashville, for the prisoners in the USA, in the Disneyland or in the Tibetan prairie and for more than thirty-thousand audience in China. They represented Poland at the Theatre Olympiad in India, Christmas Fair in Hanover or EXPO in Gyeongju, winning number of international awards on five continents. The Ensemble received the honorary citizenship of the state of Tennessee, the keys to the city of Tullahoma and Ismailia. It has recorded radio and television programs for national media, among others, in Sweden, USA, Canada, Croatia, Italy and Spain.They received golden medal and GRAND PRIX at V World Championship of Folklore - Burgas - Nessebar / Bulgaria - August 2015
The Folk Dance Ensemble “Poligrodzianie” was awarded with “The Ambassador of Polish culture” by the Minister of Culture of Poland, honored for its service by the Marshal of the Wielkopolska Region and awarded with the medal “Poznan University of Technology Meritorious” as the first and the only unit of the University. The jubilee concert on the 40th anniversary of the Ensemble received the award “Best Creative And Artistic Folk Art Performance in Europe 2013” from the European Folk Culture Organisation. Since 2014 the Ensemble has become the “Ambassador of Wielkopolska Cultur
Since 1983 Marzenna Biegała- Howorska has been the art director and manager

1998 - Regional Review of Folk Ensembles, Musicians, Singers and Dancers - I award; 17th Mondial des Cultures - Drummondville - Canada - distinction; 1999 - III National Festival of Folk Ensembles - Rydzyna-Bojanowo-Leszno - Poland - III place; 2000 - VII National Festival of Youth Folk Ensembles - Gorzów Wlkp. - Poland - winner; 2002 - I Regional Folk Review - Duszniki - Poland - 2 x I award; 2003 - National Folklore Meetings - Łowicz - Poland - I award; Regional Folklore Review - Nowy Tomyśl - Poland - 2 x I award; Honorary Badge for services for Wielkopolska Region; 2004 - II Regional Folklore Review - Środa Wlkp. - Poland - distinction; XI National Festival of Youth Folk Ensembles - Gorzów Wlkp. - Poland - special award; 41st Tydzień Kultury Beskidzkiej - Poland - award; C.I.O.F.F. Poland recognition letter; XV International Folklore Meetings - Szczyrk - Poland - award; 2005 - Regional Folklore Review - Pobiedziska - Poland - distinction; 2006 - III Regional Folklore Review - Oborniki - Poland - 2 x I award; 2007 - VI Folk and traditional art Festival "Lato nad Świną" - Świnoujście - Poland - main price, I award, 2 distinctions; Regional Folklore Review - Gniezno - Poland - winner; Partner of Polonia Certificate; 2008 - XV National Festival of Youth Folk Ensembles - Gorzów Wlkp. - Poland - winner; 2009 - Regional Folklore Review - Nowy Tomyśl - Poland - winner and distinction; 2012 - XII National Folklore Battle - Bydgoszcz - Poland - winner; International Theatre Festival - India - winner in folk category; 7th International Sabah Festival - Malaysia - I jury award, "promising dancer" award; 2013 - Ambassador of Wielkopolska Culture Award; The best creative and artistic folk art performance in Europe 2013 award; IV International Review "World Folklore" - Zduńska Wola - Poland - I award; VI World Folklore Festival - Nasca - Peru - Rey de Festival award; "Best in Poland" award;