Oberek

Lesson no. 1 / Finding oberek’s rhythm in the music (Relaxing and rhythmical exercises for practising oberek)

0:12-1:06 To be able to dance oberek, we first have to find it’s rhythm in the music. Oberek has a three-measure metre, with the primary division of 3 beats to the bar. We can clap these beats like this – 1-2-3… we can also clap in a slightly different way – 1-2-3… or – 1-2-3… . Now, let’s imagine ourselves taking a walk. We are walking casually, just the way we do every day – smoothly and in a relaxed and soft manner. At the same time, we keep listening to the music playing in the background and we try to count and clap at the same time …. Good job!

Lesson no. 2 / Jumps in time with oberek’s rhythm (Relaxing and rhythmical exercises for practising oberek)

0:12-0:26 When we are full of joy, we want to jump up in the air, just like children. Let’s return to our childhood and Jump in time with oberek’s rhythm – 1-1-1-1. 0:27-0:35 Pay attention to the step we use to make the jump – 1-2-3… 0:36-1:15 As you can see, on 1 – we make the step with one leg, on 2 – we make the jump, on 3 – we land on the ground on both feet. Then, we repeat this sequence starting with the other leg. The whole structure goes as follows: 1-2-3, … . Now let’s imagine we are by the stream, where we have several stones and we skip from one to another. Make sure to bend your knees the moment you land on the stone: 1, 1, 1, … . That’s all for the second lesson.

Lesson no. 3 / Separate steps and equal steps shuffled flat in one time (drobione) performed on one count (Relaxing and rhythmical exercises for practising oberek)

0:12-1:31 Hello and welcome to our next lesson. Now let’s enrich our basic separate step performed to oberek’s rhythm, with one more element. We start with the right leg, take a step forward, shift the weight of our body to the right leg and bring the left foot to the right foot. Pause. Left foot forward, shift the weight of our body to the right leg and bring the right foot to the left foot. Pause. Here is the whole sequence, performed to oberek’s rhythm: 1-2-3, 1-2-3, 1-2-3, step, step, step. In the first lesson, we said that oberek has a three-measure metre, with the primary division of 3 beats to the bar. Let’s try to find these three beats in our steps. This means we have to make three smaller steps in one count (drobienie). 1-2-3, 1-2-3, 1-2-3, 1-2-3, tiny, tiny, tiny steps. 1-2-3, 1-2-3, 1-2-3, 1-2-3, … . As we dance oberek, we should keep in mind that in oberek these three small steps have to be shuffled flat in one time. That’s all for the third lesson.

Lesson no. 4 / Flat shuffled step and a step with a lift (Relaxing and rhythmical exercises for practising oberek)

0:12-1:22 Another very important requirement of oberek is that we should dance it with a flat shuffled step. How to do it? It is very simple. Let’s try together: we start with the right leg, shuffle step with the right leg, left leg follows on two, pause. Shuffle step with the left leg, right leg follows on two, pause. If we count to oberek’s rhythm, we will have: 1-2-3, 1-2-3, … . Pay attention to the fact that the weight of the body is either on the right or the left leg, just like in the exercise from the third lesson. So in the count of 1-2-3, the weight is shifted only once. What’s next? We are a bit too stiff in our dance. Let’s make it more soft and flexible. How to do it? It is very simple. Shuffle step with the right leg, on two – left leg follows, simultaneously we lift the body. Now, dancing to oberek’s rhythm: 1-2-3, 1-2-3, … . That’s all for the fourth lesson.

Lekcja 5 / Podstawowy krok oberka (ćwiczenia rozluźniające i rytmiczne do nauki oberka)
region: Radomskie; nazwa tańca: oberek; tańczą: Bogumiła i Piotr Zgorzelscy, Joanna Sasinowska i Michał Stradowski; muzyka: Mazurek od Jana Lewandowskiego w wykonaniu kapeli Janusz Prusinowski Trio z płyty „Mazurki”; nagrania dokonano w 2013 roku w Warszawie, w ramach projektu Fundacji Czas Tradycji „Taniec Polski WWW” realizowanego ze środków Ministerstwa Kultury i Dziedzictwa Narodowego oraz Fundacji Niepodległości

Lesson no. 6 / Even small steps, with a glass on the top of your head – (Relaxing and rhythmical exercises for practising oberek)

0:12 – 0:41 The common belief says that the best dancer is the one that can dance a fast vigorous oberek with a glass on top of his head. How do we achieve such mastery? It is very simple, have a look at that. Imagine that you have a frame on which your head is placed and remains motionless, while the legs and the trunk can move freely. Let’s try to dance oberek in this positioning, 1-2-3, 1-2-3… . 0:42-0:54 Our head stays on one level all the time, while our feet move front and back: right – front, left – back. 0:55-1:16 Now let’s try to recall the toddler games we used to play when we were kids, such as the train or the caterpillar game. We grab the person in front of us, or we imagine a person in front of us. We dance with small steps, making sure we don’t kick the person in front of us, shifting the weight from right side to the left side. Right leg, left leg, oberek’s small steps. 1:17-1:20 1-2-3, 1-2-3… . 1:21-1:22 Great! You’ve made it!

Lesson no. 7 / Oberek’s basic turns – (Relaxing and rhythmical exercises for practising oberek)

0:12-0:55 It’s time to learn oberek’s basic turns. I’ll show you how to do it step by step. Have a look. 1-2-3, 1-2-3, 1-2-3, 1-2-3. On the spot, forward, on the spot, forward. On the spot, with a turn, on the spot, with a turn. Our turn is composed of four bars. Let’s count them together: 1-2-3, 1-2-3, 1-2-3, 1-2-3. 1-2-3, 1-2-3, 1-2-3, 1-2-3. These are our four bars and in that way, we have the first basic turn behind us.

Lesson no. 8 / Individual turns around a circle – (Relaxing and rhythmical exercises for practising oberek)

0:12-0:28 We’ve learnt to make the basic turn in four bars, now let’s try to do it in two bars around a circle. How? Have a look. We shift our weight to the right leg, because oberek’s basic step is initiated with this leg. 0:29-0:46 Right leg – shift the weight – 2-3. Left leg – shift the weight – 2-3. Right leg – shift the weight – 2-3. Left leg – shift the weight – 2-3. Right leg – 2-3. Left leg – 2-3. 0:47-1:42 Note, that the right leg with which we initiate the step always goes in the direction in which we are heading, the toes are pointed forward. Right – 2-3. Whereas in the second bar, the left leg is turned back to the direction in which we are heading. Right – 2-3. Left – 2-3. 1-2-3, 1-2-3, 1-2-3, 1-2-3. Right front, left back… .

Lesson no. 9 / Asking someone to dance – holding the partner and moving along a straight line

0:12-0:18 We’ve already learnt oberek’s basic step and we know how to make a turn. Now it’s time we finally ask someone to dance. 0:22-0:47 We’re facing each other, legs slightly apart, and we make sure our feet are placed in such a way that we will not be kicking our partner. Holding each other: M is holding the W here and W is holding M’s arm or under the shoulder-blade. She never puts her hand in that way. 0:49-1:17 This side is very important because it’s our steering wheel that gives us mutual support. Furthermore, we never dance stiffly, holding the “V” shape. We are rather relaxed and lean towards each other. Let’s try to dance oberek in the following way – I am leading my partner by starting to move forward: 1-2-3, 1-2-3, 1-2-3, 1-2-3… . 1:18-1:21 Our steps are small, shuffling and flat. 1:22-1:24 1-2-3, 1-2-3, 1-2-3, 1-2-3… . 1:26-1:31 Keep in mind to shift the weight from one side another. 1:32-1:38 One side and then the other. 1:39-1:50 1-2-3, 1-2-3, 1-2-3, 1-2-3… . Puff.

Lesson no. 10 / Whirling evenly and flatly in place (in the so-called przetak)

0:12-0:31 Before we learn how to whirl around a circle, we first have to learn to whirl in place. M starts with right leg front, W starts with left leg back. We are moving along a straight line, outwards. 0:32-0:37 1-2-3, 1-2-3, 1-2-3, … . 0:38-0:58 Now we start to take steps in a clock-wise manner, by moving them to the right. 1-2-3, 1-2-3, 1-2-3, … . 0:59-1:05 And we are whirling in place. 1:08-1:15 1-2-3, 1-2-3, 1-2-3, … .

Lesson no. 11 / Whirling in a circle in the 1st direction

0:12-0:53 Now let’s learn to whirl in a circle in the 1st direction. M starts with the right leg, moving slightly forward and shifting the weight: 1-2-3. Then, moves the left leg around the W’s right leg, shifting the weight in the second bar. Again, M moves the right leg slightly forward, shifts the weight and moves the right leg around the W’s left leg. 1-2-3, right-2-3, left-2-3, right-2-3, … . 0:54-0:58 W starts with the left leg, moving slightly to the back and shifting the weight to the left leg. 0:59-1:00 1-2-3. 1:01-1:31 Then, while turning slightly in place, they shift the weight to the right leg. 1-2-3. Then, they step with the left leg, circling M. 1-2-3. Again in place right-2-3, left-2-3. Right-2-3, left-2-3. Right-2-3, left-2-3. 1:32-1:33 It’s not difficult at all, right?

Lesson no. 12 / Whirling in a circle in the 2nd direction

0:12-0:37 Now let’s learn to whirl in a circle in the 2nd direction. M starts with the left leg, turning slightly in place and shifting the weight: 1-2-3. Then, he steps with the right leg, circling W. Again, step in place with the left leg, 1-2-3, and a step with the right leg, 1-2-3. 0:38-0:50 Left-2-3, right-2-3, … . 0:51-1:17 W starts with the right leg, shifting the weight and turning on it slightly. Then, she shifts the weight to the left leg, slight turn, 1-2-3. And she shifts the weight to the right leg, circling the partner, 1-2-3. Again in place on left leg, 1-2-3, and she is circling the partner, 1-2-3. 1:18-1:22 1-2-3, 1-2-3, 1-2-3, … . 1:23-1:26 right-2-3, left-2-3, right-2-3, … .

Lesson no. 13 / Stopping the whirling with direction’s change

0:12-0:16 Now let’s learn to stop the whirling and change its direction. 0:17-0:22 M starts with the right leg, 1-2-3, 1-2-3, 1-2-3, 1-2-3. 0:23-0:34 He stops in place, allows W to finish her move. Then we start to whirl in the opposite direction. 1-2-3, 1-2-3, 1-2-3, 1-2-3. 0:35-0:58 Stop. And again in the opposite direction. 1-2-3, 1-2-3, 1-2-3, 1-2-3… . 0:59-0:25 And now we can try to do this whirling in a circle, whirling 1-2-3, 1-2-3, 1-2-3, 1-2-3… .

region: Radomskie; dance name: oberek – one of the variants danced around Przysucha; danced by: Bogumiła and Piotr Zgorzelscy, Joanna Sasinowska and Michał Stradowski; music: Mazurka from Jan Lewandowski performed by the Janusz Prusinowski Trio band from the album “Mazurki”; recorded in 2013 in Warsaw, as part of the Czas Tradycji Foundation project “Polish Dance WWW”, implemented with funds from the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage and the Independence Foundation