The Oplenac Folk Dance Ensemble

Known among the people still as "Church Oplenac," it has existed and functioned for full a 17 years as reorganized "Oplenac." It began at the St. Sava Church.

"Oplenac" is an important and large organization of our church-school congregation. Many generations of young Serbs passed through this folk dance group and, along with their parents, built part of themselves into this church-school congregation.

Every year a bigger and stronger Oplenac achieves remarkable results, thanks to choreographer Mile Ocokoljic, who has worked 13 years with this folk dance group, and to Dragan Maklenov, under whose artistic leadership Oplenac thrives today.

The Oplenac goal is to preserve our culture, tradition and customs through dance and song. Therefore, in the summer of 1999, Oplenac went on an unforgettable tour in Serbia. There they visited many cultural and historical sites, participated in a folk dance exhibition in Vrsac. They were received by Matica Iseljenika of Serbia, and by His Holiness Patriarch Pavle.

In December 2000, the children and parents of this folk dance group undertook a humanitarian project intended to help children with developmental delays, suffering from cerebral palsy, who were being cared for in the monasteries of St. Petka and Ravanica. This project has been very successful and has been repeated every December during the Christmas Fast.

Toward the end of December the children of this folk dance group, with great delight tie up oak branches to make Badnjaks and help in preparations kr our great feast, the Nativity of Christ, Christmas. The parents of the children regularly help for Christmas Eve, Christmas and the Christmas Dance. Then there is St. Sava, the children's slava, the slava of our folk dance group, because the folk dance group bears the name of the first Serbian teacher and illuminator. In order to celebrate this feast in a fitting way, and because the feast was celebrated for the first time in the new Assembly of All Serbian Saints Church, the children of folk dance group St. Sava "Oplenac" donated to their church new icon of St. Sava.

Every February (this has already become tradition) Oplenac organizes a dinner dance, and all proceeds go to the church.

The folk dance group has beautiful national costumes that are the pride not only of those who wear them, but of the entire Serbian colony. All the costumes of this folk dance group, except those for ages three to five, are originals and they were purchased directly from Serbia. Parents and supporters have been generous in their contributions for costumes since the group was established.

In May 2002, members of folk dance group St. Sava "Oplenac" won first prize at the multicultural festival "Carassauga" in the competition among 18 pavilions.
At the consecration of our new church in Mississauga in July 2002, the children of Oplenac had their hands full of duties, from selling tickets for Bingo, preparing for the consecration, receiving the Prince and Princess, leading the program, participating in the program, selling pop corn and ice cream, to cleaning the property.

It is good also to mention that every fall Oplenac the host of the folk dance exhibition entitled "Folklorama".