Witold Idzi Zapała (5 June 1935 – 9 September 2020) was a Polish dancer, choreographer and pedagogue. For over 50 years (1957 – 2011), Witold Zapala collaborated with

Mazowsze Mazovia or Masovia ( pl, Mazowsze) is a historical region in mid-north-eastern Poland. It spans the North European Plain, roughly between Łódź and Białystok, with Warsaw being the unofficial capital and largest city. Throughout the centurie ...

, the Polish Song and Dance Ensemble ( pl, Zespół Ludowy Pieśni i Tańca Mazowsze), for whom he created repertory of dances and folk ceremonies from 43 ethnographic regions of Poland. Zapała was also an originator, director and choreographer of children dance group Varsovia. Zapała was born in Dziurów, near

Starachowice Starachowice is a city in southeastern Poland (historic Lesser Poland), with 49,513 inhabitants (31.12.2017). Starachowice is situated in the Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship (since 1999); it was formerly in the Kielce Voivodeship (1975–1998). It ...

, and began his career at age 16 with the folk troupe Skolimow. He also trained Polish folk dancers in the United States, and has choreographed the dance sequences for the Polish Opera, ''

Straszny dwór ''The Haunted Manor'' ( pl, Straszny dwór) is an opera in four acts composed by Polish composer Stanisław Moniuszko in 1861–1864. The libretto was written by . Despite being a romance and a comedy, it has strong Polish patriotic undertones ...

'' (

Stanisław Moniuszko Stanisław Moniuszko (; May 5, 1819 – June 4, 1872) was a Polish composer, conductor and teacher. He wrote many popular art songs and operas, and his music is filled with patriotic folk themes of the peoples of the former Polish–Lithuania ...

) in Warsaw. In October 2011 ''Wytańczone "Mazowsze" Witolda Zapały'', a book about Zapała's career with Mazowsze was published. It was written by a former Mazowsze dancer, Małgorzata Włoczkowska. Witold Zapała is one of Mazowsze's "Legends".

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* 1935 births 2020 deaths Polish male dancers Polish dancers Polish choreographers Polish educators Folk dancers {{Poland-bio-stub