There are hundreds and even thousands of dance styles in the world. There are secular dances, there are folk dances, there are national dances, and there are those that have crossed the borders of countries and have become the property of the whole world. The Polish Krakowiak can hardly be called a dance of peace. Despite this, he is known and loved also outside Poland.
Every nation has dances that entered the culture many centuries ago and became an integral part of it, and there are young dances that arose on the wave of new popular musical trends. The Polish Krakowiak is one of the dances with a significant history.
Dance story
Krakowiak is a fairly fast and agile dance. A melody that accompanies all movements, cheerful and lively. In ancient times, only men could perform this dance, but then the cultural tradition changed, and women joined the dancers.
At the beginning of the 19th century, the Krakowiak folk was transformed and became a ballroom dance (with figures and special symbolism of performance).
This dance arose in the Krakow Voivodeship, it was performed very solemnly, with the honor and article inherent in soldiers. Krakowiak was dubbed the dance of the knights, and was originally thought to be performed by knights with their squires.
Features of the dance
A distinctive feature of the Krakowiak is the proud posture of the dancers, the back is straight as an arrow and the head held high. The poses in the dance are clear, but simple, they are easy enough to remember. The jumps in Krakowiak are small and neat, so that the dancers land on both feet.
It should be noted that Krakowiak has two directions: ballroom and folk-stage. Folk-stage dance is characterized by dancing figures in the form of a circle, which is created by a round dance, as well as various jumps, which are performed airily, easily. The time signature of two quarters sets a fast pace and constant change of postures and movements.
As for the ballroom Krakowiak, it gained its popularity during the Renaissance, it was a time of balls and cultural conventions. The movements in it were measured and sustained. Today it is considered a historical and everyday dance.
Krakowiak was often combined with a waltz, resulting in a beautiful ballroom dance with an abundance of twists and turns and elegant steps. Krakowiak received its artistic setting in ballet and opera music, for example, in the great opera by Mikhail Glinka "A Life for the Tsar".
Krakowiak became a national heritage of Poland, its energetic and perky rhythm of performance still haunts many dancers.