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Lewandowski (Lewandowska), Marcia

American Council for Polish Culture (ACPC) Recording Secretary

This year Marcia Lewandowska celebrates her 40th year of teaching Polish dance and folklore. A member for 12 years of the Polish Youth Theater, Marcia studied and performed ballet, folk dance, character technique, drama, singing, and Polish and appeared in dancing and dramatic roles with the Polish Artists Group of Detroit. Further training was furnished by expert Polish choreographers in various ensembles and as a member of the Polish Folk Dance Association of the Americas. In 1965, as co-founder of the Wawel Folk Ensemble, for the next 25 years Marcia was in turn dancer, assistant director, choreographer and Director of the ensemble. Nine trips to Poland have earned her diplomas in choreography, international acclaim for her dancers, and added to her vast knowledge of Polish folklore and arts. In 1977, she was chosen to serve as American Director of the first month-long dance seminar sponsored by the Kosciuszko Foundation in Opole, Poland. In addition to considerable achievement in the field of dance, Marcia's outstanding contribution to Detroit Polonia's most prestigious organizations has focused on presenting exhibits on Polish history, fine and folk art. During each of 13 summers, tens of thousands visited a huge gallery of exhibits on Polish themes, specially created by Marcia in her capacity as Exhibit Chair of the Detroit Polish Festival Committee. 39-year member of the Friends of Polish Art, she served as Recording Secretary, International Institute Polish Exhibit Chair, and is currently a Director, Wigilia and Swieconka Chair.

Currently a portion of her folk art collection is displayed at the American Polish Cultural Center in Troy, of which she was a Director, Recording Secretary, Newsletter Editor, Cultural/Special Events Chair, and past President. Her signature event for that organization (10 years) was "Biesiada Starokrakowska" (A Holiday Feast in Old Krakow), a Polish Renaissance feast with exhibit, bi-lingual cultural program, music and cuisine of 15th century Krakow. An accomplished folk artist specializing in pisanki, wycinanki, folk Christmas ornaments, embroidery, beadwork, costume design and construction, Marcia teaches and demonstrates Polish paper cutout egg decorating (nalepianki) and has offered large workshops in Polish pisanki for churches, civic groups, the Girl Scouts, the American Polish Cultural Center, Detroit's Historical Museum and International Institute. Examples of her work are found in many private collections.

Among the awards for her cultural endeavors are the Central Citizens Committee Award, Bronze Cross from the Polish Relief Fund (London), Kolberg Award for the Wawel Folk Ensemble, and the Wayne County Council for the Arts "Artistic Excellence and Community Commitment Award." In 2001 Marcia was honored with the Military Order of World Wars Silver Patrick Henry Medallion for National Patriotism for her work with young people and in July 2003 was recipient of the American Council for Polish Culture Founders Award.

From: ACPC Convention Program 2005 (Philadelphia)