Polish dances

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Poland is a nation rich in culture, and musical tradition. In fact, Poland even has five (5) National Dances.  There are few countries in the world that have even one national dance.

Brazil has the Samba, Argentina the Tango, Cuba has the Rumba, and Ukraine has the Hopak.  Haiti and the Dominican Republic share the Merengue as a national dance.  Several Middle Eastern countries share the Dabke.  Other than Poland, it is only Columbia that has more than one dance: the Cumbia and the Vallenate.

The U.S.A. on the other hand, does not have a national dance, however about half of the states have a State Dance, and most of them claim the Square Dance, though Hawaii has the Hula, and South Carolina has the Shag.   Plus, in a tradition of east versus west, California has the West Coast Swing (in addition to the Square Dance), while New York has the Lindy Hop (also known as Eastern Swing).  Wisconsin and Pennsylvania both claim the Polka.

Which leads us back to Poland. No, the Polka is not a national dance of Poland. Poland’s national dances are: The Krakowiak, the Mazur (Mazurka), Polonez (Polonaise), theKujawiak, and the Oberek. These dances, which originated in the Polish countryside, were so popular that they found their way to the royal court, and were even incorporated into classical works by composers like Chopin.                               



Krakowiak - The Krakowiak originated in the southern Polish city of Kraków, Poland’s capital in the 16th century.

Mazurek - The Mazur originated in the Mazowsze region of central Poland in the 16th century, and by the 17th century was danced in villages throughout Poland.

Polonez - The Polonez, or Poland Dance of 18th century nobility, has its roots in the 17th century walking dance Chodzony, which traditionally opened up balls and weddings in country villages throughout Poland.

Oberek - The Oberek originated in the Mazowsze region of central Poland in the 17th century, and was played by small village bands dominated by the violin, along with an accordion or bass, and a drum.

Kujawiak - The Kujawiak originated in the Kujawy region of North-Central Poland in the 19th century, and was quickly embraced by the gentry because of its dignified simplicity.