May 17, 2026

St. Joan of Arc brings back liturgical dance club

REGIONAL
Story and photo by Carolee McGrath

Louise Franczek, dance instructor, poses with the St. Joan of Arc Liturgical Dance Troupe after morning Mass, March 6 at St. Rose de Lima Parish in Chicopee.

CHICOPEE – St. Joan of Arc School in Chicopee has brought back liturgical dance to the school, with one more performance scheduled for May 19. The dancers, who are in fourth grade, performed after Mass a few times during the year.

“The principal at St. Joan and Gail Boone asked me to bring it back. They had it quite a few years back and they were looking for programming and we thought we would give it a try,” said Louise Franczek, who is leading the Liturgical Dance Troupe.

“I’ve had a dance studio for 48 years and I am retired and I love working with the kids,” said Franczek. “It has been a pleasure and a blessing.”

Franczek said she teaches the group simple movements that glorify God. After Mass on March 6, the dance troupe performed a dance to “Sing a New Song Unto the Lord.”

“It’s almost like lyrical. When you hear a word like praise, you raise your arms. The movements are simple but powerful,” she said. “We practice once a week. We call it our dance troupe. And we just want to bring joy and happiness and love hopefully to this world,” she said.

The dance troupe’s last performance will be at St. Joan of Arc School’s Appreciation Breakfast, Tuesday, May 19. In addition to the liturgical dance performance, students will be singing patriotic songs.

A video version of this story will be featured on an upcoming edition of “Real to Reel,” which airs Saturday evenings at 7 p.m. on WWLP-22NEWS.