Saint Paul
Czech & Slovak
Folkdancers

Slovakia

Slovakia became an independent republic on January 1st, 1993 after the so-called velvet divorce from the Czech Republic. Neighbors include Poland to the north, the Ukraine to the east and Hungary to the south.

Here also we see the influence of geography on the culture. In the
lowlands we hear the lively tempos of the czardas, similar to the
Hungarian. In the highlands of the Tatra mountains we hear simpler pastoral music including the haunting sounds of fife and fujara, and more recently accordions and concertinas.

Slovak Kroj

The kroj from the Slovak Republic also vary depending on locally available materials, from pressed wool boots and sheepskin vests in the mountains to satin skirts and leather boots in the lowlands. Predominant colors include black and gold.

One of the loveliest features of Slovak kroj is the beautiful cutwork
embroidery you see on the womenÕs sleeves. This had a practical as well as decorative purpose. Cedar shavings were used to fill the sleeves as a sort of natural deodorant and the holes in the cutwork allowed the air to circulate through them. The men had a different solution to the problem, with their open bottomed sleeves giving them plenty of fresh air.