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The
Macedonian Cultural and Artistic
Association (MCAA) Jane Sandanski was
established in 1982. It was founded by
members of the large Macedonian
community living in the western
suburbs of Melbourne. The
Association’s activities were mainly
concentrated in St. Albans and the
surrounding areas of Deer Park, Kings
Park and Keilor Downs.
After
its modest beginnings, Jane Sandanski
enjoyed a period of sustained growth.
By 1992, the 10 year anniversary of
the Associations establishment,
membership numbers were approaching
300 and the original three dancing
groups – Junior, Middle and Senior had
expanded to seven groups comprising 3
Junior, 2 Middle and 2 Senior groups.
The MCAA Jane Sandanski was the
largest organisation of its kind in
Melbourne and quite possible
Australia.
The
Association travelled to Macedonia as
guests of the government on two
occasions – in 1989 and 1997. On both
trips, Jane Sandanski performed all
around the country, showcasing their
brilliant costumes and energetic
passion for the Macedonian culture.
The Association also performed at the
“Ilindenski Denovi” in Bitola. In
1997, Jane Sandanski was awarded the
prize of best performance at the
festival with their interpretation of
the quintessential Macedonian Dance “Teskoto”,
backed up by the colourful and
entertaining “Prespanski Igri.”
Jane
Sandanski has performed in every major
city in Australia. The Association has
also hosted groups from around the
country, as well as Canada (Makedonka)
and Macedonia (Goce Delcev, Skopje). |
