| SZPACYRPOLKA
Polish |
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| PRONUNCIATION: |
SHPAH-tseer
POHL-kah |
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| TRANSLATION: |
Walking polka |
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| SOURCE: |
Dick Oakes learned this dance
from Morley Leyton who taught it at the 1976 San Diego State University
Folk Dance Conference. He learned it from Janina Marcinkowa. Dick taught
it at the 1976 San Diego State University Folk Dance Conference After
Party. |
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| BACKGROUND: |
The dance comes from the
Cieszynskie region located around the town of Cieszyn in the Silesian
area of southwestern Poland. Cieszyn combines both Polish and Austrian
peculiarities in the style of its buildings. Because of several major
fires and subsequent reconstructions (the last one in the late 18th
century), the picturesque old town is sometimes called Little Vienna.
The only relic of an ancient castle is a square tower, dating from the
12th century and 10th century romanesque chapel. The town is the site of
the Olza Cieszyn sweets factory where the famous Prince Polo wafers are
made. |
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| MUSIC: |
Janosik Records, Village Dances
of Poland, Vol. 4 (7" EP) LTN4 |
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| FORMATION: |
Cpls in a closed cir, W on M R,
all facing ctr, hands held down and joined in "V" pos. |
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| METER/RHYTHM: |
2/4 |
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| STEPS/STYLE: |
Relaxed and
carefree. |
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|
| MEAS |
MOVEMENT
DESCRIPTION |
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INTRODUCTION |
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None. |
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| I. |
CIRCLE; SKIP |
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| 1-8 |
Facing ctr with hands joined
and held down and joined in "V" pos, swing hands twd ctr on first ct of
each meas. Dancers sing words to the song as written above. |
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| 9-16 |
Cpls drop handhold with other
cpls, keeping inside hands joined, facing LOD, and beginning with
outside ft, skip to each ct of music. Dancers continue swinging hands as
in meas 1-8. |
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| II. |
WALK; PIVOT |
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| 1-2 |
M place R arm around ptrs
waist, W place L hand on M R shldr, and walk 4 steps beginning with
outside ft (outside hands hand freely down at sides). |
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| 3-4 |
Dance 4 1/2 pivot turns CW
along LOD in ballroom pos (M L and W R hands are fully
extended). |
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| 5-8 |
Repeat action of Fig II, meas
1-4. |
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| 9-16 |
Repeat action of Fig II, meas
1-8. |
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| III. |
AWAY AND TOGETHER;
PIVOT |
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| 1 |
Releasing hands and beginning
with outside ft, step-together-step directly away from ptr (M twd ctr
and W twd outside of cir), progressing slightly. Dancers swing both
hands in dir of movement and bend slightly fwd at waist. |
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| 2 |
Repeat action of Fig III, meas
1, but in opp dir with opp ftwk and handwork. |
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| 3-4 |
Dance 4 1/2 pivot steps in
shldr-shldr-blade hold. |
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| 5-8 |
Repeat action of Fig III, meas
1-4. |
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| 9-16 |
Repeat action of Fig III, meas
1-8. |
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| IV. |
UNDER-ARM TURN |
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| 1 |
Placing hands on own hips, M
with back to ctr, W facing ctr and ptr, both step in place, flat-footed,
and turning slightly CCW with RLR. |
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| 2 |
Both step in place, turning
slightly CW with RLR. |
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| 3 |
M giving ptr first two fingers
of R hand to W, W cupping R hand around his two fingers without
grasping, step R, L (as M move R hand in almost vertical CW circle
making ptr complete one CW pivot in place). |
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| 4 |
Placing hands on own hips,
stamp R, L, R. |
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| 5-8 |
Repeat action of Fig IV, meas
1-4. |
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| 9-16 |
Reeat action of Fig IV, meas
1-8. |
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| V. |
SKIP; WALK; PIVOT |
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| 1-8 |
Repeat Fig I, meas
9-16. |
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| 9-16 |
Repeat action of Fig II, meas
1-8. |
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| VI. |
AWAY AND TOGETHER;
PIVOT |
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| 1-16 |
Repeat action of Fig
III. |
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| VII. |
UNDER-ARM TURN |
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| 1-16 |
Repeat action of Fig
IV. |
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| VIII. |
FINALE |
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| 1-16 |
Skip around room and off the
floor. |