Richard Schmidt received the “Lifetime Achievement Award” from the government of Poland for his dedication to promoting Polish culture abroad. He received this honor on his 40th birthday and now in his 60s, he shows no signs of slowing down.
In 2008, he founded the White Eagle Folk Dance Academy, for the youth of Montreal, Canada to learn the art of Polish folk and to showcase the beauty and diversity of Poland’s national and regional dances on the stages of the world.
Having done Polish folk since the age of four in a performing ensemble and maintaining a position as a soloist for 25 years, Richard also studied under many of Poland’s top specialists and choreographed, taught and directed many performers and ensembles throughout his career.
Considered a master of the trade, he is much sought after on the International Folk Camp circuit. He recently returned from a very busy teaching tour of Japan including several visits with the Folk Federation of Japan and was the headliner at their Spring Festival 2023.
Richard also leads top-notch folk tours of Poland and Eastern Canada where his guests travel in luxury, eat like royalty, soak up the history, make new friends and dance the nights away.
