Syrena Staff

SYRENA DANCE ENSEMBLE
6466 EVANGELINE DEARBORN HEIGHTS, MICHIGAN, 48127

PAT STEVEN--SCHOOL DIRECTOR SHIRLEY GALANTY--CHOREOGRAPHER
CATHY SIELICKI--STUDENT TEACHER

CHOREOGRAPHER/ STUDENT TEACHER/ DIRECTOR

Our Choreographer

Mrs. Shirley Galanty

Nearly 50 years ago, Shirley (Hojnacki) Galanty received the opportunity to realize her dreams of becoming the first PRCUA dance instructor in Michigan. Mrs. Galanty learned the Polish customs and traditions by traveling to Poland and by sponsoring a choreographer from Poland to teach her and other local choreographers the authentic dances.

Mrs. Galanty became a Certified Choreographer through the Dance Masters of America prior to her marriage and joining PRCUA, and is currently certified through their Michigan Chapter. Mrs. Galanty traveled to Poland numerous times and attended many national seminars on Polish Dance. She has taught many hundreds of children Polish folk dance, as well as tap, ballet and jazz through her own private school, the “Shirley Galanty Dancers”.

Mrs. Galanty wanted the Polish American youth to know their heritage, culture, customs and traditions and she was instrumental in the formation of several dance schools in Michigan. Her expertise in Polish Dance has been responsible for the instruction of hundreds of students throughout the years. These same graduates now bring their children to learn from her.

Today, she is fondly known as “Mrs. G” and continues to teach at the school that she founded fifty years ago. She is the wife of the late Joseph Galanty, proud mother of seven children and “Busia” of seventeen grandchildren.

Mrs. G’s career is not just limited to dance. She also holds the following positions:

President of the PRCUA Michigan Women’s Division

National President of the Ladies Auxiliary Chapters of Orchard Lake

President of Chapter 15 Ladies Auxiliary of Orchard Lake

PRCUA Insurance Deputy

PRCUA Financial Secretary for Societies 1585 and 1614

Founder and Chairperson of the PRCUA Michigan State Ball

Mrs. G has also been the former National State Director and former Director of the Polish American Congress. She is a past member of the prestigious Laur society of Northwest Detroit (a Polish dance organization no longer in existence). She currently instructs two dance groups: Syrena and Wieliczka. In 2006, Mrs. G celebrated her 50th year as a dance instructor.

Our Student Teacher

Cathy Sielicki

Cathy Sielicki is a former graduate(2001) of the Syrena Dance Ensemble

Our Director

Mrs. P

atricia Steven

Patricia (Wojnarowski) Steven is the director of P.R.C.U.A. Syrena Dance Ensemble. Before becoming director of the school Patricia was President of the Parents Club. She started dancing at the age of 3 with P.R.C.U.A.West Side Dance School under the direction of Shirley Galanty, also danced with PNA. Patricia was the 1972 P.R.C.U.A. Princess for West Side, also a debutante for PNA. As a teenager Patricia traveled to Poland with P.R.C.U.A. to study dance. She is a member of P.R.C.U.A. Society #872 and PNA Lodge #2525. Patricia graduated from St. Andrew High School in Detroit

Patricia and her husband James, are proud parents of four sons, James (age 27), Ben (age 26), Eric (age 23) and Matthew (age 18) All of her sons have graduated from the Ensemble. Dancing and participating in various activities with Syrena Dance Ensemble helped them to learn more about their Polish Heritage.

Patricia current is employed at St Linus Catholic School. Where she has worked for the past 10 years both as a Librarian and Lunch Coordinator. This year Patricia will be entering her 11th year as director of the Ensemble. We would like to thank her for your devotion to the children, teacher and school through her years of service