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In the old days these red beads would have been made of real coral. Today the Poles use a much less expensive substitute (polystyrene). These are made in Krakow for the Krakowianka dance costume.
The Krakowiak a dance taking its name from Krakow, the old capital of Poland, located in the center of the southern part of the country "Malopolska" or little Poland. The dance dates back to the 16th and 17th centuries, and has its origins connected with the courtship rituals of that time. In the mid- 19th century following musician Francizek Mireki's "Krakowiaks offered to the women of Poland", (Warsaw - 1816) the Krakowiak became a popular ballroom dance in both Austria, and France, however the Krakowiak grew to be regarded as a "National Dance" of Poland. The "stroj krakowski" or Krakow Costume is a favorite among the various regional costumes of Poland.
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