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owięziok

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The owięziok is a very popular dance among the Silesian highlanders. It belongs to the group of zwyrtane dances (zwyrtać – to turn). Some elements of archaic love magic and agricultural magic, associated with the pastoral culture of the Carpathians, have been preserved in this dance. It was the dance intended for a single pair, performed to different songs and melodies. It consisted of three parts: solo singing and steps in a stationary position, the so-called "owięziok zachodzony", which featured walking around by dancers, and quick "zwyrtanie" (turning in a stationary position) at the end, followed by a song sung by all participants.
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The owięziok (owiynziok) is one of the oldest pastoral dances, one which retains the elements of the ancient Vlach culture. The name of this dance derives from the "owięzia" leather, i.e. lamb leather used to make traditional shoes, worn by the highlanders only for special occasions and dancing, instead of shoes made of pigskin for everyday use. The owięziok was commonly danced during village feasts, usually at the beginning. It was performed with dignity during the ceremonial putting on of a cap by the bride at the wedding, and on the field to ensure plentiful harvest of corn and flax. It is a dance performed by a single pair accompanied by different songs and melodies played on the gajdy (a type of bagpipe) and violin. The tempo of the dance is moderate or variable, usually measuredin the 2/4 metre. the dance consists of three parts. In the first part, the boy, who paid the musicians, shows off his singing skills before the girl (usually by singing the first verses of the song) and invites her to dance with him. In the second part of the dance, called "owięziok zachodzony", both slowly walk around each other, gazing at the partner. The dance displays many of the ancient elements of love magic. In the third part, featuring the fast "zwyrtanie", the dancers put their hands on the partner's shoulders and they spin in the stationary position. In the past, the spins in the owięziok zwyrtanym were made only to the right as a remnant of former beliefs and magic. Today’s dancers spin in both directions. When the zwyrtany part is completed, the partners stop in the front of musicians and sing the second verse of the song together. Other dancers join them in singing and dancing or make room for another couple to perform the cycle from the beginning.

 

Kwaśnicowa, Zofia. Zbiór pląsów [Caper Collection], Vol. 1–2. Warsaw: Nasza Księgarnia, 1937–1938.

Marcinkowa, Janina. Folklor taneczny Beskidu Śląskiego [The Dance Folklor of the Silesian Beskids]. Warsaw: CPARA, 1969.

Marcinkowa, Janina; Sobczyńska, Krystyna. Tańce Beskidu i Pogórza Cieszyńskiego [Dances of the Beskids and the Silesian Foothills]. Warsaw: Centrum Animacji Kultury, 1996.