Polka is a type of dance and a style of dance music in 4. It originated in nineteenth-century Bohemia, which is now part of the Czech Republic. Although it is usually associated with Czech and Central European culture, polka is popular throughout Europe and the Americas.
History
The word "polka," which refers to the dance, is thought to come from the Czech word "půlka," meaning "half-step." A Czech cultural historian named Čeněk Zíbrt says the term refers to the half-tempo rhythm of the dance and the half-jump step used in the movement.
The name was later changed to "Polka" to show respect and support for Poland and the Polish people after the November Uprising of 1830–1831. In both Czech and Polish, "Polka" means "Polish woman." The name became widely used in major European languages in the early 1840s.
The first recorded story about the polka’s origin appeared in a newspaper called Bohemia in 1844. It credited the dance to a young woman from Bohemia named Anna Slezáková (born Anna Chadimová). According to Čeněk Zíbrt, a music teacher named Josef Neruda saw her dancing in a unique way to a folk song called "Strýček Nimra koupil šimla" ("Uncle Nimra Bought a White Horse") in 1830. Neruda wrote down the music and taught others how to dance it. Some stories say the first polka was danced in Hradec Králové, while others claim it happened in Kostelec nad Labem or Labská Týnice. Historians believe the polka developed as a faster version of the waltz. Its popularity across Europe in the mid-1800s is linked to the Romantic movement, which celebrated an idealized view of peasant life.
By 1835, the polka had reached ballrooms in Prague. It spread to Vienna, a center of classical music, by 1839. In 1840, a Prague dance instructor named Johaan Raab introduced the polka to Paris, where it became very popular and was called "polkamania." The dance then reached London in 1844, where it was considered fashionable, and later spread to America. It remained a popular ballroom dance in America, especially among growing immigrant groups from Central, Northern, and Eastern Europe, until the late 1800s.
The polka may have also helped increase its popularity at home after the 1800s, starting with the invention of recorded music. Emile Berliner’s Gramophone company made many early recordings of popular music, including polkas. Some well-known American recordings from this time include Berliner 230 ("Commodore Polka," played by W. Paris Chambers) and the Berliner 3300s series, which include "The Signal Polka" (BeA 3307) and "Exposition Echoes Polka" (BeA 3301), played by Arthur Pryor. However, most early records are now very hard to find or no longer exist because they were made of fragile materials.
Styles and variants
There are many types of modern polka dances, including the original Czech dance, which is still the main dance at formal or country events in the Czech Republic.
In the 1850s, the polka became popular among Belarusians and changed to fit their culture. In different areas, local versions of the dance developed, blending with traditional Belarusian dance styles. The polka spread quickly in Belarus because its rhythm matched the country’s traditional dances.
The 2/4 meter polka worked well with Belarusian dances that had a similar rhythm. For example, "Trasucha" is a traditional Belarusian dance that influenced the polka. In Belarus, the polka is usually danced by pairs, with small steps and turns. The dance includes many small movements, often accompanied by a type of folk song called "chastushkae."
Belarusian polkas have many different dance and music styles, with a wide variety of musical tones and patterns. The dance requires skill and physical strength from the dancers.
Like square dancing, the polka has many local versions, such as "Viciebčanka," "Barysaŭskaja," and "Hankoŭskaja." Some names describe specific dance moves, like "Through the leg" or "With squats."
In the United States, the International Polka Association in Chicago helps preserve polka music and honors its musicians through the Polka Hall of Fame. Chicago is known for "Polish-style polka," which includes sub-styles like "Chicago Honky" (using clarinet and trumpet) and "Chicago Push" (using accordion and other instruments).
Polka is popular in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where it is played during sports events. It is also the official state dance of Wisconsin. The United States Polka Association in Cleveland, Ohio, supports "Slovenian-style polka," which is fast and uses piano accordion. Another style, "Dutchmen-style," has a "oom-pah" sound with a tuba and banjo.
"Conjunto-style" polkas, also called "Norteño," originated in northern Mexico and Texas. These dances show the influence of European immigrants who arrived in the 1800s. In the 1980s and 1990s, some American bands combined polka with rock music, creating "punk polka" and "alternative polka."
Comedy musician "Weird Al" Yankovic likes polka and has rewritten famous songs in polka style on his albums since 1984.
The Grammy Awards first honored polka in 1985. Frankie Yankovic, called "America’s Polka King," won for his album "70 Years of Hits." Other winners and nominees include Brave Combo and Jimmy Sturr & His Orchestra, who has won 18 Grammy Awards for polka music.
"Polka Varieties" was a TV show about polka music that aired from 1956 to 1983. Other polka shows started in the 1960s, including "Polka Time" and "Polka Party." In 2015, "Polka Buzz" began on a Buffalo station.
The RFD-TV Network aired "The Big Joe Show," which included polka music and dancing, from 2001 until 2011. The show was later replaced by "Mollie Busta's Polka Fest."
In 2009, the Grammy Awards removed the polka category because fewer polka albums were being made.
Polkas are popular in Peru, where they are called "polca" and have a fast rhythm. In Argentina, polkas use instruments like guitar and accordion and often tell stories about "gaucho" warriors. In Brazil, polkas mixed with other styles to create "Choro." Polkas also exist in Curaçao.
In Ireland, the polka is a traditional dance, especially in the Sliabh Luachra region. It is often played on the fiddle or button accordion and has a fast rhythm.
In the Philippines, the polka was adapted to local styles and is often played with a brass band or "rondalla." The dance steps follow a specific rhythm. Many types of polkas exist in the Philippines, such as "malaket-a-polka" and "polka culebra."
Polkas also spread to Nordic countries, where they are known by different names in Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden. The beats and dance steps vary from those in Central Europe.
Polka in the classical repertoire
Bedřich Smetana used the polka in his opera The Bartered Bride (Prodaná nevěsta in Czech), especially in Act 1.
The polka originated in Bohemia, but many composers in Vienna, the capital of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, also wrote polkas. Vienna was a center of music for the entire empire, and many composers included polkas in their work. The Strauss family, known for their waltzes, also wrote polkas that are still remembered today. Joseph Lanner and other Viennese composers in the 19th century created polkas to meet the musical tastes of people in Vienna. In France, Émile Waldteufel was another composer who wrote polkas.
During the 19th century, the polka developed into different styles and speeds. A typical polka from this time had four musical themes: two main themes (1A and 1B), a "Trio" section with two more themes, and an "Intrada" that separated the sections. The French polka, or polka française, was slower and more graceful. Johann Strauss II wrote several examples of this style, including "Annen-Polka," "Demolirer-Polka," "Im Krapfenwald'l," and "Bitte schön!." Another variation was the polka-mazurka, which had the rhythm of a mazurka but was danced like a polka. The Polka schnell was a fast polka or galop. Eduard Strauss is best known for this style, as seen in his "Bahn Frei" polka. Earlier, Johann Strauss I and Josef Lanner wrote polkas with quick tempos or regular polkas that did not fit into specific categories.
The polka also inspired the Strauss family to write music for plucked string instruments, such as the "Pizzicato Polka." Johann II later composed the "Neue Pizzicato Polka" from his operetta Fürstin Ninetta. Earlier, he wrote a humorous polka called "Champagner-Polka," which imitated the sound of opening champagne bottles.
Other composers who wrote music in the style of the polka included Jaromír Weinberger, Dmitri Shostakovich, and Igor Stravinsky.