Polish dance music, especially the mazurka and polonaise, were popularized by Frédéric Chopin, and they soon spread across Europe and elsewhere. These are triple time dances, while five-beat forms are more common in the northeast and duple-time dances like the krakowiak come from the south. The 'polonaise' comes from the French word for 'Polish' used to identify its origin among the Polish aristocracy who had adapted the dance from a slower walking dance called chodzony. The polonaise then re-entered the lower-class musical life, and became an integral part of the Polish music.
Polish dance music, especially the mazurka and polonaise, were popularized by Frédéric Chopin, and they soon spread across Europe and elsewhere. These are triple time dances while five-beat forms are more common in the northeast and duple-time dances like the krakowiak come from the south. The 'polonaise' comes from the French word for 'Polish' used to identify its orig,in among the Polish aristocracy who had adapted the dance from a slower walking dance called chodzony. The polonaise then re-entered the lower-class musical life, and became an integral part of the Polish music.