On Wednesday, October 2, 2024, in Room 407, 4th floor of the Graduate School Building at Universitas Gadjah Mada, a workshop on Polonaise: Traditional Dance and Music of Poland, was held. The workshop was led by Dr. Marzanna Poplawska from the University of Warsaw as part of a collaboration with the Embassy of Poland in Indonesia. Polonaise is an intangible cultural heritage of Poland that UNESCO officially recognized in 2023. According to UNESCO, Polonaise is a lively Polish group dance performed by a few to several hundred couples in a procession, following the lead set by the first couple.
During the two-hour workshop, PSPSR UGM students not only gained insight into Polonaise but also practiced the dance. Dr. Marzanna taught students the pronunciation of Polonaise songs in Polish, the rhythmic patterns used in Polonaise music, and three distinct dance patterns. Dr. GR. Lono Lastoro Simatupang, M.A., who moderated the workshop, also highlighted the significance of paired traditional dance as a means to develop individuals’ bodily awareness and social etiquette, particularly in interacting with others (including the opposite gender) in daily life.
The PSPSR UGM program also recognizes that this workshop aligns with the goals of the SDGs, specifically SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities) and SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals). (AU)
