I was learning a mazurka-inspired guitar piece by Julio Sagreras when I realized that I had no clear idea as to what a mazurka is. So I looked around, and came up with these illuminations:
MAZURKA
The mazurka (in Polish, mazurek) is a Polish folk dance in triple meter, usually at a lively tempo, and with accent on the second or third beat. (Wikipedia)
Bolshoi Ballet Mazurka :
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Sb7gp98wAc
Horowitz plays a Chopin Mazurka:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e8PJsjO1u5w
A Klezmer Mazurka:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZG2BHc0nU2E
Debussy Mazurka:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QWZqTDVqgu4
So the mazurka, it seems, is like the blues or the sonnet: a form with which you can say just about anything.