For as long as I can remember, every Saturday morning me and my mom would go to Sokol. The organization started in Prague in 1862 and moved to America with Czech and Slovak immigrants. They offer language school, gymnastics, dancing, and more. Sokol helps me experience my culture in ways most people don't get the opportunity to. One of these ways is through dance. I still remember watching the older kids dancing from the balcony of Czech school and wishing it would be my turn soon. They stomped across the squeaky gym floor so hard you could feel the ground shaking. I'm now one of those older kids the littles watch from above. I am lucky enough to get to dance twice, as a dancer and as a teacher of the littles. They dont know it yet but Sokol will impact them just as much as it impacts me and I am grateful to be able to be part of that. When we perform we wear kroj, which is why it is my object. Kroj is traditional folk attire. Most people rent their kroj from Sokol. I have memories of trying a lot of kroj. Some were too short, long, big or small. When everyone rents kroj from Sokol there are lots of memories in each one. When I was little, I had a kroj that would not stay tucked in while dancing. Over the speakers singing “Aj lučka, lučka široká” my skirts were slowly falling down. There's a little girl now who has the same kroj and the same problem. Because of this I feel like you never truly leave the dance group. You are still there because your kroj is still dancing.

– Sara

Relationship:  Child of im/migrant Child of im/migrant