- There are several theories about the origin of the word "polka". One is that it comes from the Czech word "půlka", which means half, referring to the lively half step characteristic to the dance. Or it could be from the Czech saying '"tanec na polo" meaning "dance in half" which refers to the music. Another theory is that it derives from the Czech word "pole" meaning “field”.
- The origin of the dance is said to lie with a Czech farm worker named Anna Slazak, who invented the steps to accompany a local folk song called Strýček Nimra koupil šimla, or Uncle Nimra Bought a White Horse, in 1830.
- Anna named the dance Madeira wine because it was lively and jolly.
- Her dance was observed by a music teacher, Josef Neruda, who wrote the music down and started teaching it to other young people.
- Other accounts say the dance actually originated in Poland, and was popularised by a Czech person who saw people dancing the polka as he travelled through.
- Either way, the dance had spread to Paris by the 1840s and caught on quickly. It was so popular that the term "polkamania" was coined to describe the phenomenon.
- Polka is the only dance originating in the 19th century that has survived to the present day.
- Even so, it slumped in popularity in the early 20th century when new dances such as jazz and ragtime gained popularity. However, it saw a revival after World War II, when Polish immigrants to the USA claimed it as their nation’s official dance.
- Polka music caught on with classical composers in Europe, including the Strauss family in Vienna, who wrote polka tunes as well as waltzes. Bedřich Smetana incorporated the polka in his opera The Bartered Bride.
- The term "polka dots" for evenly spaced dots on fabric is from the same root although it's not clear exactly what the connection is. It may be that the arrangements of the dots evoke the half steps of the dance. It may be because garments using the pattern were marketed as dancewear, or it might have been because the marketers wanted to create an image of the clothing as cheerful and linked it to a cheerful dance.
My latest books
Closing the Circle
A stable wormhole has been established between Earth and Infinitus. Power Blaster and his friends can finally go home.
Desi Troyes is still at large on Earth - Power Blaster has vowed to bring him to justice. His wedding to Shanna is under threat as the Desperadoes launch an attempt to rescue their leader.
Someone from Power Blaster's past plays an unexpected and significant role in capturing Troyes.
The return home brings its own challenges. Not everyone can return to the life they left behind, and for some, there is unfinished business to be dealt with before they can start anew.
Ben Cole in particular cannot resume his old life as a surgeon because technology no longer works around him. He plans a new life in Classica, away from technology. Shanna hears there could be a way to reverse his condition and sets out to find it, putting herself in great danger. She doesn't know she is about to uncover the secret of Power Blaster's mysterious past.
Available from:
Amazon (Paperback)
A stable wormhole has been established between Earth and Infinitus. Power Blaster and his friends can finally go home.
Desi Troyes is still at large on Earth - Power Blaster has vowed to bring him to justice. His wedding to Shanna is under threat as the Desperadoes launch an attempt to rescue their leader.
Someone from Power Blaster's past plays an unexpected and significant role in capturing Troyes.
The return home brings its own challenges. Not everyone can return to the life they left behind, and for some, there is unfinished business to be dealt with before they can start anew.
Ben Cole in particular cannot resume his old life as a surgeon because technology no longer works around him. He plans a new life in Classica, away from technology. Shanna hears there could be a way to reverse his condition and sets out to find it, putting herself in great danger. She doesn't know she is about to uncover the secret of Power Blaster's mysterious past.
Available from:
Amazon (Paperback)
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