July meetings as part of the project "Save from oblivion - dance culture of the old villages of the city of Poznań"

The continuation of “Master-Apprentice” scholarship program of the National Institute of Rural Culture and Heritage.

In July, Master Piotr Kulka passed on his knowledge to his student Filip Laskowski, focusing on dances with rhythms of mazurek – particularly „kujawiaki”, „okrągłe” and „mazurki” characteristic of the Poznań region.

Filip Laskowski had the opportunity to become familiar with typical steps, figures, and dance styles appropriate for both women and men. He also learned various forms of holding characteristic of individual dances.

Kujawiaki – dances rooted in native tradition – owe their name to the Kujawy region, of which they are a representative expression. In the historic villages around Poznań, they were performed in pairs – seriously, fluidly, and without sudden movements. Their performance style was symbolically described as a dance “with a glass on the head” – calm, devoid of jumps and strong accents, with simplified, restrained forms of movement. Only when changing direction or phase of the dance did a more pronounced stamping sound appear.

Okrągłe – dances from the Wielkopolska region – had various local names, such as “równe,” “do koła,” “szybkie,” or “żwawe.” Alongside the cheers, they were among the most popular and beloved dances in the dance culture of Poznań’s villages. Fascinating both musically, lyrically, and choreotechnically, they varied in their performance, dynamics, and flow, depending on the circumstances, rituals, and customs in which they were performed. They were always accompanied by a song – usually joyful, playful, and often with hidden meaning. They were played in 3/8 time (less often 3/4), at a fast tempo, and concluded with the “na wiatroka” dance figure – a dynamic rotation of the couple in place, with stepping movements from foot to foot around a common axis.

Mazury, common in Poznań and surrounding villages, took on various names in its folk version: mazurek, goniony, obracany, zwyrtany, wyrwas, and, less frequently, simply mazur. These names often referred to the direction of rotation – “odsibka” meant turning to the right, and “ksebka” meant turning to the left. Short melodies of a dozen or so bars were often accompanied by singing. Over time, mazurs took on a more elaborate musical form, and dance elements took over the role of the chant. Mazurs belong to a group of three-meter folk dances (3/4 or 3/8 meter) and were performed at a lively tempo. The dances were based on marching steps, a joint forward run of the couple, and rotational steps around the dancers’ axis.

During the July workshops, Filip Laskowski also became familiar with the traditional costume worn by the Poznań Bambers and people arriving in the city from surrounding villages.

The student also had the opportunity to become familiar with the traditional costumes of the Poznań region, seeing their individual elements, and learning about the stages of their creation and traditional techniques.

Three types of costumes were common in Poznań and nearby villages: urban and two rural costumes – Bamber and rural Poznań. These varied significantly in cut, color, silhouette, and number of elements, reflecting the cultural and social differences of the groups inhabiting the area.

Bamber women, wealthy housewives and co-owners of land, wore richly decorated costumes, reflecting their high status. They were characterized by embroidery, numerous embellishments, floral cornets, and gold bonnets, symbols of prestige.

Women in Poznań rural costume – often from poorer families and coming to Poznań in search of work – occupied the lowest position in the social hierarchy. Their attire was modest, simple, and concealed the figure, often with white accessories intended to symbolize their purity and hard work. These women have always remained in the shadow of the Bambers, as was evident during Corpus Christi processions.

Both costumes – the Bambers’ and the Poznań village costumes – disappeared from Poznań’s streets in the early 1980s. Currently, they can only be admired in museum collections: the Ethnographic Museum (a branch of the National Museum in Poznań) and the Poznań Bambers’ Society Museum.

PK

We invite you to see photos from the implementation of the third stage of the project, as well as a short video summarizing the third month of work of the Master and the Apprentice:

Completed as part of the “Master-Apprentice” scholarship program of the National Institute of Rural Culture and Heritage, funded by the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development.
www.nikidw.edu.pl