Forum Musicum does not neglect rural traditions. Polish folk music, rooted in oral traditions and focused on dance for most of its history, is a realm largely absent from the lives of most of us today. Despite this, it has been having a renaissance for over a decade. The forgotten, simple conventions of communal dance allow us to discover the liberating joy robbed by modern lifestyles.

During the annual festival dance, held this time in the Baroque Old Refectory at the Dominican Monastery in Wrocław, the three-strong Kapela Odloty, composed of Miłka Majczyno, Piotr Rogaliński, and Teofil Pawłowski, will perform. They present a repertoire of dance and song from Eastern Greater Poland, reaching for melodies dating back to the turn of the 20th century. In their explorations, the band members draw on musicological studies, such as Krzysztof Pydyński’s Folklore of the Musical Areas of Konin, as well as field recordings by musicians such as Walenty Matczak from Golin, Jan Boruch from the Pałuki Regional Ensemble from Kcynia, Czesław Marciniak and Agnieszka Piasecka-Zarębska from the Babiak Folk Band, and the Szelążek Band from Nieszawa.

Odloty’s performance will feature major Polish folk dances, including kujawiaks, obereks, polkas, and jubilee dances. The band also eagerly teaches dance steps. Their spontaneous approach and extensive musical expertise make all events with this band unpredictable. Above all, it will simply be great fun, and we invite everyone to join in!