Folk dance in Munich: Zwiefacher and Münchner Française

Anyone thinking of folk dance in Munich will quickly come across two traditional forms that could hardly be more different: the rhythmically complex Zwiefacher and the elegant Munich Française. While the Zwiefacher is a Bavarian folk dance deeply rooted in the Alpine foothills, the Française originally comes from the ballrooms of the 19th century. In Munich, both are a firm part of the repertoire of social dance events, where the shared experience is the main focus.

What is special about the Zwiefacher is the irregular change of time signature. Dancers switch fluidly between three-four time and two-four time, which requires concentration and careful listening. The Munich Française, on the other hand, is a five-part social dance that is danced in long rows facing each other. Both dances prove that traditional folk dance in Munich is not a rigid custom, but rather lively movement on the dance floor. Anyone who understands the basics will quickly find their place at open dance evenings.

To learn folk dance in Munich, you do not need years of prior experience. The Department of Folk Culture in the Cultural Department of the City of Munich organizes regular dance courses, dance evenings, and dance teas that are explicitly aimed at beginners. Here, the typical step sequences are explained step by step before the band starts playing. At festivals such as the City Foundation Festival in the ballroom of the Old Town Hall, there are also open courses where interested people can try out the Zwiefacher or the figures of the Française directly.

A fixed highlight in the course of the year is also the Munich Kathreintanz at the Hofbräuhaus am Platzl, which concludes the folk dance season in November. In the halls of the traditional venue, people dance to live music, with experienced lead dancers announcing the sequences. If you are still unsure, you can orient yourself by watching other couples or use a ballroom dance course for preparation in advance to develop a feel for dancing in the room and the classic posture.

Despite their long history, Bavarian round dances and country dances are surprisingly accessible. At the Münchner Française, a dance master helps by loudly announcing the five figures in French and Bavarian. You do not have to memorize the sequence of figures completely, instead you react to the commands of the caller. This takes the shyness away from beginners and ensures a lot of cheerfulness on the dance floor when the lines move towards each other and bow.

With the Zwiefacher, on the other hand, it helps to fully engage with the band. Typical beat patterns reveal the next change between waltz and Dreher a bar in advance. Those who focus on listening first usually find the rhythm intuitively. On udansa you can exchange ideas with other dance enthusiasts if you are looking for a suitable dance partner for ballroom and partner dance to discover the Munich dance tradition together on the dance floor.