The Song and Dance Ensemble „KRAKUS”
of Cracow University of Science and Technology

Director: Maciej Jędrzejek
Address: 30-059 Kraków, ul. Reymonta 15, Poland
Fax: : +48 12 631-87-31
Phone: +48 12 617-20-24, 634-19-54
e-mail: zespol@krakus.net
www.krakus.net

Information about the Ensemble:

„KRAKUS” is the oldest student folklore ensemble in Poland. It has been established at the AGH University of Science and Technology in Cracow in 1949 by Wiesław Białowąs.

The Ensemble presents the original and authentic Polish folk which is artistically transformed and adapted to the requirements of the stage.
The dances, songs and customs which are presented in the suites of Cracow, Silesia, Rzeszów, Sącz, Lublin, Kielce, Łowicz, Żywiec and Beskid regions give a picture of the beauty and variety of the regions as well as a taste of the authenticity and richness of Polish national folk costumes.

Among the members of „KRAKUS” you can find students of AGH University of Science and Technology and of other Cracow universities. All of them have been drawn to the Ensemble by a desire to develop their skills and admiration for folk dance, music and song in the three teams which constitute the Ensemble: the ballet, choir and orchestra. Since the establishment of the Ensemble, more than 5000 „Krakusians” have experienced their artistic adventure by means of singing and dancing in „KRAKUS”.

During 67 years of its activity, „KRAKUS” has given approximately 4700 concerts in Poland and abroad and its programmes have been enthusiastically applauded in all European countries, in Asia, Africa, North and South America. During this time the Ensemble made more than 170 foreign artistic tours. The Ensemble has received many awards at both Polish and international festivals.
The repertoire of „KRAKUS” is ever changing thanks to distinguished choreographers: Marian Wieczysty, Zbigniew Pieńkowski, Irena Kik, Barbara Niżańska, Jadwiga Kozłowska, Władysław Koźbiał, Jerzy Kwaśniewski and great musicians: Ludwik Wiźniowski, Jan Brodka and Janusz Kaźmierczak, Aleksander Romański.

Wiesław Białowąs was the director of the Ensemble in the years 1949-1974. In 1974 Stanisław Rusinek took over the management of the group (until 1999). Since 1999 „KRAKUS” has been run by Maciej Jędrzejek.
Since 1980 „KRAKUS” has got also a children group composed of one hundred kids of 7-15 years of age. The children group has its own program and gives concerts separately or together with the students, both in Poland and abroad.

„KRAKUS” has taken part in the following overviews of folk ensembles:

  • Confolens (France – 1976)
  • Jaca (Spain – 1977)
  • Schoten (Belgium – 1980, 1984, 1988)
  • Heijen and Brunsum (the Netherlands – 1980, 1984, 1988)
  • Lefkas (Greece – 1981)
  • Ahmedabad (India – 1984)
  • Budapest (Hungary – 1999)
  • Quillan (France- 1999)
  • Weynsville (USA – 2000)
  • Montrejeau (France – 2001)
  • Zvolen (Slovakia – 2001)
  • Hradec Kralove (Czech Republic – 2001)
  • Bolsvard (The Netherlands – 2003)
  • Sofia (Bulgaria – 2006)
  • Bitburg (Germany – 2007)
  • Santarem (Portugal – 2007)
  • Slobozia (Romania – 2008)
  • Hradec Kralove (Czech Republic – 2008)
  • Veles (Macedonia – 2009)
  • Katowice (Poland -2010)
  • Istanbul (Turkey – 2010)
  • Sibiu (Romania – 2010)
  • Calarasi (Romania – 2011)
  • Kicevo (Macedonia – 2011)
  • Kiev (Ukraine – 2012)
  • Istanbul (Turkey – 2012)
  • Vosselaar (Belgium – 2012)
  • Kiev (Ukraine – 2013)
  • Brasov (Romania – 2013)
  • Poznań (Poland – 2013)
  • Chatte (France – 2013)
  • Miskolc (Hungary – 2014)
  • Plzen (Czech Republic – 2014)
  • Shanghai (China – 2014)
  • Bitburg (Germany – 2015)
  • Saray (Turkey – 2015)
  • Chelmno (Poland – 2016)
  • Burgas (Bulgaria – 2016)

Awards at classified festivals:

  • First Award at the Polish Festival of Student Art Ensembles in Wrocław (1953)
  • One of five first awards at the 32nd World Folk Festival at Lefkas Island (Greece – 1967)-the Bronze Necklace of the Princes of Burgundy at the 22nd International Folk Festival in
  • Dijon (France – 1967)
  • First Award at the 1st International Festival of Student Folk Ensembles in Katowice (1969)
  • Grand Prix at the 11th International Folk Festival in Marchienne au Point (Belgium – 1970)
  • „Golden Grape” at the 25th International Folk Festival in Dijon (France – 1971)
  • First Award at the Soviet Art Festival „Student Art Spring” in Erewan (USSR – 1974)
  • First Award in the Category of Soloists (Marek Bieda) at the International Festival of Folk Art in Cartage (Tunisia – 1975)
  • Bronze Medal at the 52nd International Folk Festival in Dijon (France – 1998)
  • Honourable at the 46th International Folk Festival in Agrigento – Sicily (Italy-2001)
  • First Award at the 33rd International Folk Festival Akademicka Nitra 2002 (Slovakia -2002)
  • Second Award at the 19th International Folk Festival in Bursa (Turkey-2005)

Tours abroad:

  • Algiers 1975
  • Argentina 1986
  • Austria 1975, 1987, 1991, 1998, 2001
  • Belgium 1970, 1980, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1987, 1988, 2012
  • Brazil 1986, 1996
  • Bulgaria 2006, 2016
  • China 2014
  • Canada 1980, 1981, 1987
  • Czechoslovakia 1965, 1972, 1986
  • Czech Republic 1994, 1995, 1996, 2001, 2008, 2014
  • Denmark 1993 /twice/, 2002,
  • East Germany 1972, 1973, 1976, 1984, 1986, 1988
  • Federal Republic of Germany 1974, 1977, 1980, 1984, 1987, 1993, 1997, 2003, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015 /twice/, 2016
  • Finland 1986
  • France 1967, 1971, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1980, 1982, 1983, 1985, 1989, 1998, 1999, 2001, 2002, 2007, 2013
  • Greece 1965, 1981, 1997
  • Hungary 1962, 1963, 1965, 1966, 1972, 1973, 1993, 1996, 1999, 2014
  • India 1984
  • Italy 1976, 1984, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1991, 1992, 2001, 2006
  • Latvia 2006
  • Lithuania 2006
  • Luxemburg 1983, 1985
  • Macedonia 2009, 2011
  • Malta 1979
  • Moldova 2002
  • Mongolia 1989
  • The Netherlands 1980, 1983, 1984, 1988, 2003
  • Norway 1993
  • Portugal 2007
  • Romania 1999, 2008, 2010, 2011, 2013
  • Slovakia 2001, 2002
  • Slovenia 2005
  • Spain 1977, 1978, 1980, 1983, 1988, 1990, 1992, 1995, 1998, 2002 /twice/
  • Sweden 1977
  • Switzerland 2005
  • Tunisia 1975
  • Turkey 1986, 1989, 1990, 2002, 2005, 2010, 2012, 2015
  • Ukraine 2000, 2001, 2003 /twice/, 2005, 2008, 2012, 2013
  • Uruguay 1986
  • USA 1980, 1981, 1987, 2000
  • USSR 1967, 1968, 1970, 1973, 1979, 1980, 1987, 1988, 1989
  • Yugoslavia 1973, 1974, 1975