International festival to draw dancers to Poland

DIANA ASHJIAN A&E EDITOR DA725@CABRINI EDU

Dancers from around the world will converge in the Sudety mountains of Poland this July for a major international dance festival. All styles of dance including salsa, hip-hop, gypsy and even dramatic pantomime will come together for a week-and-a-half of cultural exchange.

To be facilitated in the spatown of Ladek Zdroj, health and its manifestations through the spirit of dance, will be encouraged to learn, grow and improve.

“Treatments in the therapeutic spas will introduce you to an aspect of European culture unknown in the U.S.,” director of Cultural Interchanges and ballet instructor at Contempra Dance Theatre in Wayne, Pa, Jerzy Golek said.

The minds, bodies and souls of all interested will be invited to drink, swim-in, and absorb the mystical healing nature that is said to have existed in the mineral waters of the Southern Poland mountains for seven centuries. Salt caves, underwater massages and pools of mineral water resembling Turkish baths are believed to provide lots of advantages to overall health.

According to a publication on the town’s history, “Careful, long-lasting research proved that the thermal, radium, sulphide and fluoride waters from the local springs are very effective in the treatment of various diseases. The spa provides treatment in rheumatism, skin and limb illnesses, circulatory system disorders and osteoporosis.” will be opportune to swiveling salsa-style across Saint John’s ical landmark, which was built in the 1500’s. Also, while hiking trips will allow practicing bal lerinas to perfect their pirouets on the border of the Czechoslovakian Republic. ruins will be open to the public for exploration. There will also be trips to other European cities including Prague available to those who’d like to spend time traveling as well as relaxing and dancing.

Invited to the festival for the second time, Americans will be specializing in modern, tap and hip- hop styles of dance. Classes range from beginner level to advanced. Very influenced by Broadway, funk, urban and AfroCaribbean styles of movement, American teachers like Lilly Spurlock who will be teaching hip-hop, are totally psyched to help link worldwide nourishment of the spirit to the mastery of dance in Ladek Zdroj.

For anyone interested in getting their groove on internationally, the trip is being coordinated through Cultural Interchanges which Cabrini alumna Karen Harlin is vice president. “There are still a limited number of partial scholarships available to attend the July 7-18 Ladek Zdroj International Dance Festival,” said Harlin.

For registration information visit Culturalinterchanges.co m or email Karen Harlin at KHarlin@culturalinterchanges.com.