Polka

The polka is a happy dance from Europe. It started in a place called Bohemia, which is now part of the Czech Republic. The dance began in the 1830s and soon became popular everywhere. Polka music is fast and fun, and the dance is easy to learn.

How Polka Started

A young girl in Bohemia is said to have made up the polka dance for fun. A music teacher saw her dancing and wrote down the steps. Soon, the polka spread to Prague and then to Paris. By the 1840s, everyone in Europe was doing the polka. It later came to America with people moving from Europe.

Polka Music and Dance

Polka music has a quick two-beat rhythm. It is often played with an accordion, a clarinet, and a tuba. Dancers hop and skip around the floor in time with the music. The dance is done in pairs, holding hands or shoulders. Polka is still popular today at parties and festivals in places like Wisconsin and Minnesota.

Fun Facts

• The word 'polka' means 'half-step' in Czech.
• Wisconsin made the polka its official state dance in 1993.
• 'Weird Al' Yankovic is famous for making funny polka versions of pop songs.

Did You Know?

Polka music has its own Grammy Award category, showing that this old dance music is still loved today.