History
The WICI Song and Dance Company was organized in 1972 in Chicago. Its mission is to promote the Polish culture in the Polish and American communities through authentic song, dance and music. To this end, WICI has retained the highest caliber of Polish folk tradition with impressive repertoires, a beautiful array of authentic costumes and original choreography.
In 1983, WICI was established as an Illinois charitable non-profit corporation, and that same year, the troupe became the representative group of the Polish National Alliance, the largest Polish fraternal organization in the United States.
Well over 4,000 young people and adults have participated in the group’s activities since its formation. Dancers and other volunteers perform and contribute to the group’s activities without any compensation or monetary reward. Despite this, the group continues to have a large following among supporters and fans.
Thanks to the efforts of its many volunteers, and their sincere love of the Polish culture, WICI has been able to sustain an artistic standard that many other groups envy.
WICI is comprised of two adult groups (40+ individuals) and 5 children’s groups (160+ children ages 3 to 13), for a total of more than 200 current members. In addition to the dancers, there are numerous dance instructors and administrators, and a core group of musicians who form one of the city’s only live folk bands.
In addition, the group boasts an exceptionally large store of hand-made costumes imported from Poland. Complete collections of colorful men’s and women’s attire made from the finest materials (wool, velvet, silk), include embroidered undergarments, footwear, accessories and headpieces, and number in the thousands of items, some of which are priceless original handicrafts.
Over the years, WICI has performed at various local, city and state events, as well as in Europe. In the process, it has been the recipient of numerous prominent honors, most recently including the First Place Award at the 2006 Krakowiak Festival in Krakow, Poland.
WICI dancers entertain diverse audiences in over 40 performances each year. Approximately 60% of these appearances are for people of American and multi-cultural descent. One of its appealing characteristics is the ability of the group to adapt to the needs of its venues, blending tradition with stage stylization as needed. As a result of this agility, the ensemble has worked in cooperation with such classical dance companies as the Twin Cities Ballet in its productions of The Nutcracker, Sleeping Beauty, and Swan Lake; the Glen Ellen Opera in its productions of The Bat and The Gypsy Baron; and the Polish Opera in Chicago in The Gypsy Princess, Halka, The Haunted Manor, and other great operas.
For the last several years, WICI has cultivated a fruitful partnership with the well-known Paderewski Symphony Orchestra in Chicago. The resulting performances have ranged from operettas, to musical revues, to tributes at Chicago’s legendary Orchestra Hall.
The group also has had the privilege of working with many leading Polish organizations and artists. WICI appeared at the opening ceremonies of the John Paul II Cultural Center in Washington, D.C. on behalf of the Polish National Alliance, and traveled to the state capitol in Springfield for an ethnic celebration held at the Governor’s Mansion.
In 2005-2006 alone, WICI has performed for Poland’s President Lech Kaczynski during his historic visit to Chicago; with world-famous Hollywood composer Wojciech Kilar at Orchestra Hall in a special concert titled “Ardor and Prayer”; at the request of the Polish American Consulat during the first annual Poland on the Pier Festival celebrating Polish Constitution Day at Chicago’s Navy Pier; and with Polish singing celebrity Andrzej Rosiewicz in adaptations of his 30-year favorite hit “Najwiecej Witamy”. It is no exaggeration to say that WICI has become a phenomenon in the Polish artistic circle.
Portraying the opulent beauty of Poland’s ethnic tradition, the WICI Song and Dance Company is committed to enriching the American culture with its vibrant artistic contributions for many years to come.