Mazurka musicality - Balfolk tutorial with Michael Parmenter

A lock-down Balfolk tutorial with Michael Parmenter on Mazurka musicality. You will find plenty of fine mazurkas on You Tube to practice with but here's a fine tune to start with: La Candela by Brotto Lopez
• La Candèla

[@GwenGreenberg]

From US and travel occasionally to Europe for Bal Folk. Mazurka is one dance I never seem to get. Thank you so much for breaking this down in such an understandable way.

[@SE-ve9gx]

Very helpful for someone who loves the dance but has had a lot of difficulties figuring out how it works. Thank you!

[@manfredbehncke6283]

Danke, für diese Erklärung. Ich bin seit vielen Jahren im Tango-Argentino Zuhause, und die Flexibilität dialogisch im Paar sowohl auf Rhythmus als auch Melodie zu interpretieren, passt ebenfalls gut zu Mazurka-Musik. Ich spiele als DJ ab und zu Mazurka bei Non & Neo Tango-Veranstaltungen und die Tänzer sind sehr glücklich damit.

[@lindabrouwer]

Where were you when I was in Auckland on exchange from the Netherlands! Great to hear that Balfolk is getting a bit of a foot in NZ too :)

[@arjenvk1]

A same! Thanks from the Nederland's :) Good work!

[@julietpalmer9666]

Fab! Just when I was wondering how to do a mazurka! Thank you!

[@michaelparmenter3357]

hi Juliet, Just a reminder that this is a contemporary Balfolk mazurka. The Ballroom mazurka, though it has the same rhythmical structure, has a more lifted, hoppy quality, captured in the mazurka @ 3:23 in this You Tube clip kzbin.info/www/bejne/naOVe6WipKdqpsU Happy dancing Michael.

[@ottfriedoheimlich1464]

Very well explained for us as absolut beginners! Helped us a lot getting a real feeling and understanding of mazurka dancing. Best wishes from germany.

[@mizdebsk]

Thank you! 🎉

[@joelsans-musicnature]

Thank you very much, very helpful

[@jebaudoux]

Nice and a funny re-interpretation of the Mazurka. That's very neo-folk way of dancing mixing different styles, and very latino. We call that marshmallow dancing here in Belgium. Enjoy bal folk!

[@commongrounddance8951]

Thanks for your message J-E. I had a nice laugh at this. The first time I danced with my fellow Balfolk teacher here in NZ (d'origine francaise) it was a mazurka and she told me I danced a 'marshmallow' style.

[@robehickmann]

More of these would be awesome, there's verry little information on french dance in English on YT.

[@shylockwesker5530]

Since when is Mazurka Franch? The very name of the dance signifies "from Mazovia", which is Central Poland.

[@robehickmann]

@@shylockwesker5530 Certainly that's where it originated from, but I was talking about 'balfolk' generally which is 'dancing as done in France and central Europe'. These seem to be a whole bunch of different versions of the mazurka dance.

[@zem9779]

J'adore cette musique ☺️

[@mab.8798]

I finally get it... Thanks! And do you know Remi Geffroy's Mazurka called "Au bord de l'eau"? It's a wonderful tune and a wonderful French musician. Check him out!

[@commongrounddance8951]

Yes, a mazurka with a lovely swing to it.

[@darekg9381]

The Mazurka is still a magic dance, perhaps because of the lack of tutorials :)

[@pablogomez8236]

I have a question (and a lot of gratitude!): Is it important to start the cycle with a 'Mazurka' rhythm or can I start with 123? I think you started once with 123

[@commongrounddance8951]

Hi Pablo, It isn't necessary to start with the Mazurka figure, but generally in most Mazurka tunes the first 3 counts of a basic 6-count phrase have a stronger Mazurka-feel than the 456. It's almost as if each 6-count phrase were a boat and it's wake: the 123 is the boat and the 456 is it's wake or echo, the mazurka feel is still there but to a less obvious degree. It just feel right to do the mazurka figure there. But for sure, one can absolutely mix it up and have a conversation with the music rather than always doing the same as the music. Cheers M.

[@pablogomez8236]

​@@commongrounddance8951thank you for your great answer

[@altekameraden6279]

Tres bien le ROSBIF..!😀

[@sonnigesdatschengluck2494]

Really wondeful tutorial on my most beloved dance. But - may it's because I'm german but he should think about his t-shirt...

[@michaelparmenter3357]

Vielen Danken Sonniges, My apologies. This t-shirt is iconic in New Zealand, it is a play on NZ and the Union Jack which is on our flag. It never occurred to me that it could be misinterpreted. Very much appreciate your comment.

[@sonnigesdatschengluck2494]

@@michaelparmenter3357 Thanks a lot for your nice comment, I didn't wont to bother you and I didn't know about the meaning of the shirt's meaning, so I'm fine with it :-) Please let us see more of your wonderful dancing lessons!

[@miguelariza100]

It's not a regional french dialect. Thank you for the dance, but stop there if you don't know the matter...

[@commongrounddance8951]

Thanks Miguel for the correction. I wasn’t at all working from a script and that was indeed an error: more a slip of the tongue than a lack of knowledge.