EALING TOWN HALL is the new home of the largest and longest established Polish Folk Dance Group in the UK.

Mazury Dance Company is a bold, bright, colourful group made up of more than 120 dancers, singers and musicians, who perform and display the national dances and songs of Poland.

The group was founded in 1949 by ex-servicemen and women who moved to London after the war, and wanted to keep their Polish traditions alive. Having been passed down through the generations, their rich and vibrant cultural heritage is still thriving 62 years on.

The company has performed in festivals and shows across the country and abroad and has appeared on TV in more than 30 countries.

Its members have danced for and been presented to the Queen and the Prince and Princess of Wales at Hatfield House and represented Poland on their entry into the European Union in 2004. They have even recorded and released an 18-track CD.

Mazury takes pride in the fact that most of its 3,000 costume items have been made by members themselves, from woven materials with intricate embroidery, to belts and ornamental axes and swords.

The group has its own band, also known as a kapela, a nine-strong group of musicians who regularly accompany the dancers during major shows and tours.

The company, which has been based in Ealing since 1998, recently supported the West London Opera in its performance of The Merry Widow at Questor’s Theatre. Rehearsals have now moved to Ealing Town Hall, where the three age groups practise their repertoires.

Artistic director and choreographer Zosia Lesiecka said: “It is wonderful to be meeting weekly in the heart of Ealing. The recently-renovated hall, with its sprung floor and mirrored wall, is a wonderful venue and a joy to rehearse in."

Mazury’s next performance is on Sunday, November 27, at Hampton School in Middlesex. For more details, visit www.mazury.org.uk