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olender

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Olender is an example of a dance borrowed from another culture, significantly transformed and adjusted to the tradition of Kurpie region. Its tempo is fast and it is performed to music without an accompanying song (przyśpiewka). It may be danced by any number of pairs and includes a distinctive element – two ample arm gestures performed before the pairs start to rotate in closed handhold.

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According to a theory, the dance arrived in Kurpie region with the Dutch settlers (locally called Olenders or Olęders) invited by the Polish kings to cultivate the royal lands depopulated by wars and plagues. Another theory claims that the settlers came from Eastern Prussia, perhaps in the 18th century, to reclaim the floodplains and wetlands near the riverbanks. The Olenders preserved their traditions for a long time, and many elements of their culture have left a permanent mark on the Kurpie folk culture. It is also possible that this dance made its way to the Kurpie region with seasonal workers returning from Germany and the Netherlands (mainly in the 19th century). This may be indicated by the similarities between olender and the German lander dance, and the name olender, which resulted from adjusting it to the local dialect.

Olender became a very popular dance in Kurpie region, performed both at village parties and weddings. It has a fast tempo, 2/4 metre, and is performed to music without an accompanying song (przyśpiewka). It may be danced by any number of pairs who rotate along a circle line against the sun (counterclockwise). The dancers start the dance with accentuated stamps and two ample arm gestures. Next, they form pairs in closed handhold and rotate to the right and to the left, moving along a circle line against the sun  (counterclockwise). The steps are clear, performed smoothly and seamlessly, with four steps from one foot to the other per each turn.

 

Dąbrowska, Grażyna W. Tańce Kurpiów Puszczy Zielonej. Warszawa: CPARA, 1967.

Dąbrowska, Grażyna W. Taniec ludowy na Mazowszu. Kraków: PWM, 1980.

Dąbrowska, Grażyna W., Tańcujże dobrze. Warszawa: Wydawnictwa Szkolne i Pedagogiczne, 1991.