The second edition of the “Zenon Kolobych” Choreographic Olympiad VOIRON – FRANCE
concluded the series of major cultural events organized in 2025 by the International Union of Folklore (IGF). Held in Voiron, France—home to the IGF’s international headquarters—the event brought together representatives of folklore federations from seven countries, transforming the city into a vibrant festival of tradition,movement, and folk costume. Participants from Ukraine, France, Romania, the Republic of Moldova, Turkey, Israel, and Italy offered audiences and specialists alike true masterclasses in traditional choreography, showcasing the distinct character of each culture through authentic dances and spectacular costumes, rich in symbolism and history.
The official opening was led by Mr. Nicolas Charlety, Vice President of the IGF, who, together with Mrs. Zelida Stuelsatz, stood at the heart of this large-scale event. In his address, IGF President Dorel Cosma greeted the organizers and attending delegations, thanking the artists for their dedication and professionalism, and underscoring the importance of such
gatherings for the preservation and promotion of intangible cultural heritage.
A particularly moving moment was the tribute to the great choreographer Zenon Kolobych, former member of the IGF Bureau and a towering figure of traditional dance. The presence of the master’s son, as well as the continuity of Ukrainian choreographic activity—even amid the difficult circumstances of war—offered a powerful message of hope,cultural resilience, and international solidarity.
The Mayor of Voiron, Mr. Julien Polat, warmly welcomed the delegations, expressing gratitude for their presence and for the diversity of choreography and the beauty of the costumes that brought so much energy, colour, vitality, and friendship to the city— ideals cherished and championed by the late Zenon Kolobych. Equally significant was the joint affirmation, voiced by the mayors of İzmit, Voiron, and Ungheni, of their firm desire to continue collaborating and supporting the major events organized under the auspices of the IGF, confirming the openness of local administrations toward intercultural dialogue and international projects devoted to safeguarding and promoting traditional cultural heritage.
An important step for the future of traditional dance was the inauguration of the Academy of Traditional Choreographic Dance, supported by UNESCO—a major achievement for IGF and for the international folkloric movement. The event in Voiron reaffirmed that folklore is not merely memory, but also present and future, a bridge between peoples and a universal language of friendship.
” Academie Des Choreographes Danses Traditionnelles ” Voiron- France
Opening Speech for the International Diploma Program “Choreographers of Traditional Dances of the World” Mr. Mayor, Vice-President of the Department, Mrs Fatma Hurryet Mayor of Izmit, Mrs the representante of mayor of Hunguiens, Elected Officials, Mr. President of the World Federation of Folk Arts and Traditions (IGF), Ladies and Gentlemen, Dear artists, dear partners, dear friends, It is with deep emotion and immense pride that we open today the first edition of this diploma program dedicated to choreographers of traditional dances from around the world.
This unique human and artistic adventure brings together creators from five continents. You carry within you the rhythms, gestures, and memories of your cultures.
“Together, you will create connections, intertwine your heritages, and invent new forms of dialogue between traditions and the contemporary world.
This program was born from a simple yet powerful observation: traditional dances are living languages. They do not merely recount the past— they breathe, transform, and continue to write
history.
During these ten days of training, the students will be simultaneously researchers, performers, educators and keepers of memory. You will experience creation, transmission, listening, encounter and sometimes even selfreflection. For learning to transmit is also learning to question, to transform, to reinvent. We have chosen to name this first graduating class after Zenon Kolobych, in homage to a man whose life embodies a passion for movement and respect for one’s roots.
Zenon Kolobych was a visionary choreographer, a seeker of danced memory, a creator of bridges between peoples. He believed that every dance, however humble, carries within it a universal truth: that of the body that remembers, the body that speaks without words. Naming this first graduating class in his honor is an affirmation of a lineage, a continuity.
It is to say that tradition is not a museum, but a movement; that the dance of the world belongs to no one, because it belongs to everyone. Dear participants, you are the pioneers of this program, the founders of a history. Your presence here involves much more than just training: it involves a perspective, a vision of the world. Through your creations, your research, and your teaching, you will carry the banner of the Zenon Kolobych Class, a symbol of openness, dialogue, and respect.
You will be the ambassadors of a living dance, rooted in local traditions but open to the world.
I would like to extend my warmest thanks to:
* The teaching and artistic team that
designed this program with rigor and kindness,
* The institutions and cultural partners
who supported this initiative: the International Dance Council (UNESCO), the I.G.F., the French Confederation of Popular Arts and Traditions,
the Order of Dance Masters of Provence, A.T.P. Salmorenc with its Center for World Cultures, as well as the city of Voiron.
* The institutions and cultural partners :
who will be joining us; thank you in advance.
* And of course, you, the choreographers
from all over the world, for your trust, your curiosity, and your courage to explore together.
May this training program be a space for inspiration, research, and fraternity for you. May it allow you to affirm your voices, to make your memories resonate, and to invent movements that speak of both yesterday and tomorrow. On behalf of the entire team, I officially declare the International Diploma Program “Choreographers of Traditional Dances of the World” open and I wish a long and successful future to its first graduating class: the Zenon Kolobych Class. “
