Danse Libre - Russian Mazurka Quadrille at Stanford Big Dance 2009

Danse Libre performing the Russian Mazurka Quadrille at Stanford’s Big Dance on 8 May 2009. This dance is also commonly known as the “dawn mazurka“. At Big Dance 2009, 80 students danced a version of this dance at dawn after having danced all night. This dance is a tradition at Big Dance. The dance harkens back to the all night balls in which the young dancers were trying to show they still had energy at dawn to dance a complex choreography after having dances throughout the night. Dance reconstructed and choreographed by Richard Powers based on a description by Charles Durang in his “Fashionable Dancer’s Casket“, Philadelphia 1856. A choreography description and history can be seen at: The music is a medley that Richard Powers arranged from the mid 19th century mazurkas “Mars Mazourka“ and “Zingara Mazurka“, published in compilations by Septimus Winner. The recording is by his Fleeting Moments Waltz & Quickstep Orchestra, recorded live at a dance concert.