Dance

It was easy to find a strong social bond in the old Kujawy's village. It manifested itself clearly in dance, which was cultivated by next generations. Dancing people didn't know specific figures. There were only some common ways of dancing. Therefore, dancers improvised very often and there are countless varieties of dances with different names and features. However, mazurek's(another popular Polish dance) rhythms dominate(kujawiak, mazurek and oberek are numbered among that group). Nevertheless, 'kujawiak' plays the major role. It is a rotational dance, danced of course in pairs round one axis. People move on the circle. There is much diversity during the dance such as: turning under joined, raised hands. Dancers gesticulated very often. Moreover, they (particularly the younger ones) used to clasp their hands in order to point out music emphasis.
You can find such a definition in the Gloger's Old Polish Encyclopedia: " 'Kujawiak'- a dance of Kujawy's people; similar to 'obertas', but more serious than it; less lively and coarse; it's danced in the circle, without stamping one's feet. Movements should be slower than in 'obertas' and it is repetitive. Kujawy's people start to dance it with so called 'sleepy' (dancing couple embrace and turn slowly)..." You can find another features in Lange's book :
- shoulders and head should be perpendicular to the floor (one shouldn't stoop)
- you should loosen your legs in knees
- centre of dancer's gravity stays in one plane (you shouldn't quake to much).
The way of accompaniment was one of the most important things in Kujawy's dancing culture. Folk band depended on the dancers. They had to cooperate. One of the dancers sang before the beginning. It was helpful for the musicians.
It's worth to remember that a text wasn't so important. Instrumental melody was the major thing. Therefore, the lyrics were confined to only one stanza.

The traditional dancing repertoire shows some diversity with the local character. Economic background was the main cause of that. Rich villages invited large music bands with all instruments (it included - one or two pairs of violin, a double bass and a clarinet and a small drum). However, inhabitants of poorer areas invited only one violinist. Yet, as far as ingenuity is concerned, the best dancing and music ideas were created by poorer people!
There are many regional folk groups in the Kujawy's region. Members of the team, that created the web-page had a chance to familiarise oneself closer with the "Kujawy" group from Sławsk Wielki. (closer information in the 'news' and the note about Ms Maria Patyk)