Kujawiak
Appearance
The Kujawiak is a Polish folk dance from the region of Kujawy in central Poland . It is one of the five national dances of Poland, the others being the krakowiak, mazur, oberek, and polonaise.
The music is in triple meter and fairly slow. The dance usually involves couples walking gracefully in a quarter-note (UK: crotchet) rhythm, on slightly bended knees, with relaxed turns and gently swaying. Women's Kujawiak dances are also performed.
History
The first reference to a Kujawiak appeared in 1827. Folk names for the dance include 'sleepy' and 'lulling'. Composers who have written for this dance include Henryk Wieniawski. It is often lyrical and calm (supposedly representing the Kujawy landscape), and usually in a minor key.