The Group today

In May 2011, on the initiative of Piotr Michalak, who is the director of the Szamotuły Cultural Center, Maciej Sierpiński, a long-term dancer of Folkloristic Group „Wielkopolanie” and a folklore enthusiast, became the Group director. Together with him, to the teaching staff joined Katarzyna Hełpa-Liszkowksa and Dariusz Stocki.
Multigenerational group is currently experiencing its own renaissance, because there are about 100 active group members right now.
Youngest ones plays on flutes. Performances are more attractive thanks to the bagpipe band. Several members are also professional musicians playing on traditional Polish instruments, i.e. Clarinet, violin and contrabass.
Since the October 2013, the Group has been reinforced by mature dancers, who were former members of „Szamotuły”. It was the idea of remaking the most important element of local cultural awareness- „Szamotuły wedding” performance, that brought them back to the Group.
Nowadays, the Group participates in folk festivals, entertains local audience at local events, each year presents the harvest Festival rite.
In 2012 the Group was in Hungary and France. In 2013 „Szamotuły” were dancing at the opening ceremony of the St John’s Fair in Poznań, participated in IV International Children Folk Festival „ Kids Fun Folk”, VI Folk Bands and Orchestras „Gronalia” Festival and in VII International Folklore Festival in Greece. In 2013 Group has also recorded a CD of Christmas carols and pastorales.
The most important events of 2014 were winning the X Festival „Polonez 2014” in Slonim, Belarus and the participation in the III International Folklore Festival „On the crossroad of peace” in Armenia.
In 2015 „Szamotuły” are celebrating its 70th anniversary of existence. In August, Group has participated in the International Folklore Festival in New Delhi, India.