Jacek Łumiński is the founder, director and choreographer of the Silesian Dance Theatre. He is the graduate in Dance Pedagogy from the Academy of Music in Warsaw. For six years he studied acting and theatre arts at the State Jewish Theatre in Warsaw, taking part in classes organised by acting school, and performing in the productions of such artistic directors as Jacob Rotbaum, Szymon Szurmiej and Juliusz Berger. Apart from this, he also participated in the vernissages organised by the Society of Fine Art Lovers, appeared in the performance Śmierć Dantona (“Danton’s Death”) (directed by Kazimierz Kutz, at the Ateneum Theatre in Warsaw) and in many more. In 1991 Jacek Łumiński founded the Silesian Dance Theatre, the first modern dance company in Poland. It’s primary aim has been to develop and promote the art of dance on a national and international scale. As a managing and artistic director of the Silesian Dance Theatre, he has developed educational and social programmes. In his opinion, lobbying in parliamentary and governmental circles about modern dance, as well as consistently supporting such initiatives as dance workshops, criticism of and writing about dance, and dance management help to spread awareness and knowledge about dance. Moreover, through such actions social respect for the art of dance is being increased. In the year 2005, in cooperation with six European dance schools (Folkwang Hochschule in Germany, CODARTS in Holland, Bruckner Universitat in Austria, Dartington College of the Arts, LIPA i Bath Spa University in the United Kingdom) the Silesian Dance Theatre under the directorship of Jacek Łumiński and thanks to the EU-financed programme – Leonardo da Vinci – has developed a curriculum for the first Polish dance school at university level. This curriculum laid the foundations for Dance Theatre Department at the Ludwik Solski Academy of Theatre in Cracow in 2007. One year later, after obtaining the PhD degree in theatre arts at the Academy in Cracow, Jacek Łumiński became the dean of the newly founded department. His particular interest in the traditional culture of Polish Jews and Polish folklore has been reflected in his research, numerous works and articles. In the first place, however, these subjects have been an inspiration for Łumiński to create a dance technique and a composition method, which he jointly termed as “the Polish dance technique”. Thanks to them, Łumiński has gained a worldwide recognition, which earned him numerous awards, grants and scholarships for the creation of a new style and form of modern dance, including: Ben Sommers Award (the USA/Israel) in 1986, Ballett International Fellowship (Germany) in 1988, United States Information Agency-Visiting Artist (the USA) in 1992, Trust for Mutual Understanding/Suitcase Fund Fellowship (the USA) in 1993 and 1994, ArtsLink Fellowship (the USA) in 1994 and 2002, The Golden Mask Award in 1995 granted by the Voivode of Katowice Province, McKnight Fellowship (USA) in 1995; Pola Nirenska Award (the USA) in 1996, The Pillar Award (Filar) granted by Raport (a monthly magazine) in 2003, The Golden Cross of Merit in 2004, the Golden Badge of Merit for Silesian Province in 2005, The International Theatre Institure Award for the promotion of Polish culture abroad (in 2009). Jacek Łumiński has been conducting dance workshops in Poland and abroad, for instance in the USA, Canada and Israel. His work, techniques and style have been described in such newspapers as The New York Times, Ballett International, Tanz Affiche and Dance Magazine. Since 2000 he has been the Superintendent of the Contemporary Dance Coproduction Fund (the EU-sponsored programme). In 2000 he was also awarded the title of Professor at Swarthmore College in the USA. Since 2004 he has been the PhD student at the Indiana University in Bloomington (the USA), in the Department of Anthropology under the tutorship of Professor Anya Peterson Royce.