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Dance

Harnam Folk Dance Ensemble named after Jadwiga Hryniewiecka

The Harnam Folk Dance Ensemble named after Jadwiga Hryniewiecka is one of the oldest and most renowned folk ensembles in Poland. It was founded in 1947 in Łódź by the distinguished dancer, choreographer, and educator Jadwiga Hryniewiecka, who shaped its artistic identity and mission — to cultivate and promote Polish dance and musical traditions.

For more than seventy years, Harnam has presented the richness of Polish folklore, combining authenticity with high artistic standards. Its repertoire includes both the national dances — polonaise, mazur, kujawiak, oberek — and a wide variety of regional dances from across the country: from Podhale and Kurpie to Silesia and Kashubia. Thanks to its meticulous attention to authenticity, style, and traditional costumes, every performance becomes a vivid journey through Poland’s cultural landscape.

The ensemble has long represented Poland at prestigious folk festivals both at home and abroad, winning numerous awards — including the Grand Prix at the National Review of Polish National Dances in Rzeszów, and distinctions in Berlin, Bucharest, Nice, Venice, and Vienna. In recognition of its achievements, Harnam has received the City of Łódź Award and the Medal of Merit for the Łódź Voivodeship, among many others.

At the heart of the ensemble is its Representative Group — dancers aged 15 to 30, many of whom have grown up within Harnam. Their advanced technical and artistic skills allow them to perform the most demanding pieces from the ensemble’s repertoire on Polish and international stages. They are passionate amateurs performing at a professional level — for them, dance is not only an art form but a way of life.

Harnam is not only an artistic ensemble but also an educational and cultural institution — a place where generations of young people learn folk dances, discover music and customs, and develop their artistic talents while deepening their understanding of Polish cultural heritage.

Today, the Harnam Folk Dance Ensemble named after Jadwiga Hryniewiecka proudly continues its mission — blending tradition with modernity, sharing the beauty of Polish folklore with audiences around the world, and keeping alive the spirit of community that has united its artists and audiences for over seven decades.