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Polish folk dances


Polish folk dance is a tradition rooted in many centuries of Polish culture. Many of the dances stem from traditions or historical events, but also include ballroom and ballet style elements. Nowadays, they are typically danced by small companies on major holidays and events.

Polish folk dances (singular: taniec ludowy, pronounced [ˈtaɲɛts luˈdɔvɨ]; plural: tańce ludowe [ˈtaɲtsɛ luˈdɔvɛ]) tend to be lively, energetic, and joyful. Hops, twirls, and athletic movements are common. Many dances involve a circle (Polish: koło [ˈkɔwɔ] "circle", kołem [ˈkɔwɛm] "in a circle") but also partners.

The Polish national dances are the Krakowiak, Kujawiak, Mazurek, Oberek, and Polonaise. These dances are classified as National, because almost every region in Poland has displayed a variety of these dances. Many of these dances were brought to the ballroom floor following Napoleon's expansion into Eastern Europe, which brought French nobility imitating the Polish peasants style of dance, and adding flavors of ballet.

The Krakowiak (pronounced [kraˈkɔvʲak]) is a fast, syncopated Polish dance in duple time from the region of Kraków and Lesser Poland.

The Kujawiak [kuˈjavʲak] is a dance from the region of Kuyavia in central Poland. The most romantic of the national dances, the Kujawiak is a slow dance in 3
4
metre, danced with couples.


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