We are all very proud of the multi-ethnic community that makes up “The Church of Saint Ann” and “Saint Michael’s Church.” As such, we are excited to share this story with our Church Community. Children from Saint Michael's Slovak Community represented our parish on the 41st Slovak Heritage Festival on September 23, 2018 in East Brunswick, New Jersey. Even though the rain was drizzling that day, the Saint Michael’s children's program made the day and was the sunshine of the event.

Children's games are an important part of the folk traditions of the Slovaks. Today's middle-aged and older generation still remember children's plays, nursery rhymes and poems that have been traced from generation to generation. In the rural environment, where more generations lived together, taking care of children was often the role of elders. But when the children grew a bit, the older siblings took over this task. Children have learned games from relatives and peers, so this way they kept Slovak folk children's games in their families.

The characteristic featu re of children's games is that their interpretation of text, rhythm, melody, movement and action, form a complex body. This beautiful element of the Slovak folk art was performed by the Pramienok (Streamlet) a children's group from Saint Michael's Church Slovak Community. Their program, entitled "Spring Games on the Greens," includes many elements of Slovak folk games from nursery rhymes, through counting out rhymes, to collective games. Eighteen children were singing and dancing, ages between four and thirteen years old. The kids were very excited about the show, and brought joy to the audience. These pictures show the joy the children had in their performance and we share their pride with this story. They well represented “The Church of Saint Ann” and “Saint Michael’s Church.” 

Submitted by Ingrid Sokolsky, Program Choreographer