DANCES from Łęczyca

Led by: Piotr Zgorzelski, Bogumiła Zgorzelska, Augustyna Zgorzelska & Józefina Zgorzelska

Music: Maria & Łukasz Nizik, and Jakub Owczarek

For: Intermediate & advanced dancers

What to Bring:
Shoes: Comfortable, flat-soled shoes (low heels are fine). Choose soles that allow for sliding.
Essentials: Water.

The Łęczyca region lies between Kujawy and Łowicz, and its music and dance reflect elements of both traditions.

Local dance suites include the chodzony (a slow, processional couple dance that opens the set), the kujawiak (slow, lyrical and flowing, often described as melancholic or romantic), the kujon (a livelier, more animated cousin of the kujawiak), and finally the fastest — the oberek (whirling, energetic, and full of spins).

We’ll focus on the kujawiak and the kujon. These dances are technically demanding, requiring specific body work and an unhurried, vertical pulse that is distinct from the flat, shuffling steps of other regional styles.

We’ll work with the music’s tempo rubato to master its gently vibrating movement, then progress through the suite from the kujawiak, through the kujon, to the fast Łęczyca oberek — learning how to gradually build speed, momentum, and energy within the dance.

We’ll also practise some essential techniques, including local couple turns (“with the sun” and “against the sun” clockwise and counterclockwise), and integrate simple decorative steps (ornaments) into the basic movement.

About Piotr Zgorzelski

Warsaw-based ethnologist, cultural educator, actor, and juror at traditional dance competitions. A key figure in reviving Polish traditional dances in social, non-stage forms, he founded and directs Poland’s first Traditional Dance Academy, which runs regular classes across the country.

With over 30 years of experience, he has developed a unique approach to teaching traditional dance, rooted in lessons from village dancers and archival sources alike.

He co-founded and served as president of Dom Tańca (Warsaw Dance House), a key institution in the traditional dance scene. He is the creator and promoter of the innovative style known as “Mazurek Freestyle”, and he reaches a wide audience as the author of the popular YouTube series, Taniec Tradycyjny PL.

For nearly a decade, he performed as bassist and dancer with the renowned ensemble Janusz Prusinowski Kompania.

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