Krakowiak


Krakowiak

Krakowiak (known in English and French as Cracovienne) is a traditional Polish dance that originated from the region of Kraków and Małopolska (nicknamed Little Poland). Krakowiak is a dance that was originally intended to be a courtship ritual for couples. Its origins can be traced back to the 16th and 17th century, as tablatures involving instruments used to perform Krakowiak music, such as the Organ and the Lute have been found from the period. As well songbooks such as Chorea Polnica or Polish Tanz. However, the first recorded Krakowiak album was in 1816 by Franciszek Mirecki's, titled Krakowiaks Offered to the Women of Poland.

A group of Krakowiak Dancers.
Krakowiak developed into a popular ballroom dance around the mid-19th century where it was performed in country’s other than Poland such as France and Austria. Krakowiak was so popular at the time in Poland that it became a national dance (along with the Mazurka, Kujawiak, Polonaise and Oberek). It was around this time that composers such as Fryderyk Chopin, Zygmunt Noskowski, Ignacy Jan Paderewski, and Roman Statkowski started to evolve Krakowiak by turning the music into an extensive and even virtuosic form. It was around this time that Krakowiak was starting to be performed at concert halls where it was becoming an exhibition dance to be watched and applauded by the audience, this gradually lead to fall of Krakowiak being performed as a social function. However, in modern times the Krakowiak have made a comeback at social gatherings and events, as a way to display Polish traditions not only in Poland but abroad as well.

The Krakowiak being performed in a ballroom with a similar setting to one that would have been danced in during the 19th century

The Krakowiak is a fast tempo dance that is performed in duple meter. It uses a characteristic syncopated pattern of short-long-short (or eighth-note - quarter-note - eighth-note), or an eighth note followed by an accented dotted quarter-note variant. This pattern will alternate with a straightforward rhythm consisting of two eighth-notes, plus one quarter-note (or: short-short-long). The phrases are arranged symmetrically in pairs of four measures each. The melodies played during a Krakowiak song can also provide great varieties of patterns, with added extra notes, dotted rhythms, and passages based on triads.

This is the typical rhythm that accompanies Krakowiak dance. Here an eighth-note followed by an accented dotted quarter-note variant, followed by an eight-note - quarter-note - eight-note pattern.

Krakowiak performed on the theatrical stage often featured a more complex and stylised form of music that started to be created by various composers in the mid-19th Century. This more complex form of Krakowiak developed into a three-part form, with the use of repetition and modulation to extend the outer sections, as well as containing a contrasting middle section, with modulating links in between. An ensemble for a traditional Krakowiak performance usually consists of the following instruments, Polish bagpipes, violin, clarinet, trumpet and accordion (fiddle and base are also played depending on region).

This picture shows the ensemble of a Polish Folk band which is used to accompany traditional dance such as Krakowiak
The dance of Krakowiak consists of several couples among which there is a lead male dancer, it’s his role to sing and indicate the steps to the rest of the group (essentially making him a director like a figure). As the dancers approach the band, the lead dancer will either be tapping his heels or dancing a few steps while singing a melody from a traditionally established repertory, he will also include improvised words that will be addressed to his partner. The band will follow the melody being played, and the dancing couples will move off in a line (one couple behind the other) and eventually form a circle. After this is done verses are sung and played in alternation with the music, when not singing the dancers will form circles during the instrumental verses.

The Krakowiak does not follow a set routine and is usually arranged based on Krakowiak song being played. Some of the more commonly used and characteristic dance moves include moves include the 'galop' (fast running forward), the 'hołubiec' (jump with clicking the heels and stamping), and the 'krzesany' (this term refers to a sliding motion of the feet with stamping). There is a form of Krakowiak that involves only men dancing, called Krakowiaki Sądeckie and is usually performed in the Nowy Sącz area in south-eastern Poland.

The Krakowiak dance being performed in Poland.

Although costumes can vary from region to region in Poland, the most popular costume is the strój Krakowski (Kraków costume) and is regarded as the National costume for the dance, whether it is being performed in Poland or abroad. The women’s costume consists of white shirts with broad sleeves and collars decorated with lace, colourful vests with sequins and rich embroidery, strings of coral beads, floral skirts in bold patterns, partly covered with white lace aprons (plus multiple petticoats underneath), and wreaths of flowers with multicoloured ribbons in their braided hair (worn by girls) or colourful, flowery kerchiefs (mature women). The high-laced red boots have heels with metal tips, to emphasise each stamp, click, or jump.

The men’s costume consists of long, dark and embroidered coats over white shirts, striped pants (red-white; the pants are tucked into the high red boots), and embroidered vests. Traditional accessories include a special belt with decorative strings of small, loose metal plates, as well as a square shaped hat, topped with peacock feathers.

Two groups of Men and Women, displaying the strój Krakowski (Kraków costume) costume.

The Krakowiak is a common dance performed at social and ceremonial events within Luton by the local Polish community, as such it’s a dance that is performed in local Polish schools by children as well as during traditional Polish weddings. Krakowiak can be seen being performed in the town during festivals such as, the Polish day festival which is held in January of every and was set-up due to the population of Polish civilians living in the town. And the Luton Carnival where it is performed in the centre of the town.

The Krakowiak being performed by local children from the 'Polish Community School' in Luton, during the Polish Day Festival (2011) that takes place every year in the town centre.

Recommended Watching

Krakowiak Dance and Music





Further Reading

Krakowiak Music

Krakowiak Dance

Krakowiak Dance

Location: Newcastle upon Tyne, UK

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular Posts