Krakow Main Square Final Performance Court Dance Festival [FULL VIDEO] 

It is amazing to me that so few people write about this!!

Thanks for doing those updates on what s going on here. Keep up the good work! / Bo

nice

Suggest that you offer a workshop for this suite/just the polonaise and mazur -mazurka , as shown here,....during the Christmas vacation time 2024 -2025.

it is in the nature of the halka mazur to be frenetic......

THAT ROCOCO - CLASSICAL POLONAISE RE-VISITED Why re-visited? Because, quite by serendipity, we were able to identify the original painting which was the bases for our description. Not only do we know the artist but have a beautiful copy shown below. Since this Rococo-Classical Polonaise today exists primarily on the stage as the work of some particular choreographer, it is rich in figures. (Individuals with this Rococo-Polonaise feeling can actually dance this variant in the Social Ballroom of today-it depends upon the actual music played.) We pick two as fitting this type of Polonaise but here we deal with only one. This does not mean that they are in any way authentic for this variant. (Keep in mind that this variant itself may only be a figment of the present author’s imagination.) All of these stage-born elements may also be used for all of the stage variants of the Ułański and Polonez of the 19th and 20th centuries. THE CURL-UP Here is a figure action for which there is iconographic evidence which is presented below. We see that it is a variation of the standard “arch” or “gate” figure whereby couples pass under the joined up-raised hands of another couple. (Do you recall how Petrovski complained about this?) It was done and is done because it is such a pleasure to do. Full information about this painting is lacking. We do not know who painted it or its exact date. It is an 18th century painting. What is striking about it is its depiction of the people. Their elongated, elastic bodies are done in the Mannerist Styłe of Painting-similar to that of Bottocelli. The overall atmosphere is Watteauian in feeling. Note the bending of the body as was mentioned previously. Choreographically speaking, as a Social Ballroom Figure, it speaks clearly to us. Note that before “entering” the gate the couples are on opposite sides of each other (than for the usual couple position) but with the same handhold. When the couple comes through they resume their ordinary positions. Before entering, the man leads the woman into a crossing-over-half-turn. Also note that the man removes and waves his hat. The men are also wearing their swords. They are dancing out-of-doors. The diagram shows the action. Look again at the painting. Note the couple about to go under the arch. The woman has her right hand joined with the man’s right hand. (This is another Historical Variation!) Perhaps this was done to ensure that his sword does not encumber the action-but note here that the man is not holding his sword. Look at the relative positions of the various parts of the woman’s handhold. There are almost three angles: one at the elbow, one at the wrist, and one at the knuckles. Now let us see the beautiful copy of the paining. It is beautiful, isn’t it? The artist is Korneli Szlegel (1819-1870) and the painting is entitled “Polonez pod gołym niebem.” © R. Cwieka 2014. Although copyrighted by the author, Mr. R. Cwieka, (me), he hereby gives you permission to make copies of the said discs and distribute them to your dance friends, and the general public. Would anyone or group of dance-lovers like to make a video record of these complete choreographies? Or donate copies to your local library. Or place any of the works on your web-site OR make computer-animations. Feel free to do so.

The "rococo - classical polonaise re-visited" is from an essay. Isn't the opening Polonaise danced in this video a good example of a sub-specie of the Polonaise...A ROCOCO POLONAISE??

1:12 men's side kick...nice....

green kontusz best................

"should smile" not "say" ...error.....

woman say smile and show teeth...men not so much,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,