14. THE POLKA

The Polka is a gay and lively dance, resembling in character the Gypsy Folk Dances. It is believed to have originated in Bohemia where it was known as the pulka. It was introduced into England about 1843 and some twenty years later enjoyed great popularity in the United States.

Polka music is most frequently played in two-fourths time—the first beat in each measure is strongly accented.

There is one basic time step in the Polka which moves from side to side. This basic time step may be executed while turning in either direction. Also there is the Polka break which consists of continuing the side steps in one direction until the completion of the musical phrase.

BASIC TIME STEP

BOY'S PART:

Side—L	In place—R	In place—L	Hop—L
1	and	2	and
Side—R	In place—L	In place—R	Hop—R
3	and	4	and

GIRL'S PART:

Side—-R	In place—L	In place—R	Hop—R
1	and	2	and
Side—L	In place—R	In place—L	Hop—L
3	and	4	and

When the music is in fast tempo (as it usually is) the In place steps are exactly in place. However, when the music is not extremely fast, the In place step may move slightly in the direction of the other foot. Most dancers learn to do the Polka time step first by sliding the In place step toward the other foot, then when they become more skillful, the movement on this slide diminishes until it is merely a shift of weight, or an In place step completely.

Therefore, practice like this for awhile at the beginning. Practice slowly.

BOY'S PART:

1. Step to left side with left foot and draw right foot toward left foot, letting right foot take the weight when it reaches a  distance  of about half-way to the
left foot.
2.   Step slightly to the left again with the left foot (this step slides along the floor) and hop on left foot. At same time, bend right knee picking right foot up from the floor, and point the right toe toward the right.
3.   Step to right side with right foot and draw left foot toward right foot, letting left foot take the weight when it reaches a distance of about half-way to the right foot.
4.   Step slightly to the right again with the right foot (this step slides along the floor) and hop on right foot. At same time, bend left knee picking left foot up from the floor, and point the left toe toward the left.

GIRL'S PART:

1.   Step to right side with right foot and draw left foot toward right foot, letting left foot take the weight when it reaches a distance of about half-way to the right foot.
2.   Step slightly to the right again with the right foot (this step slides along the floor) and hop on right foot. At same time, bend left knee picking left foot up from the floor, and point the left toe toward the left.
3.   Step to left side with left foot and draw right foot toward left foot, letting right foot take the weight when it reaches a distance of about half-way to the left foot.
4.   Step slightly to the left again with the left foot (this step slides along the floor) and hop on left foot. At same time, bend right knee picking right foot up from the floor, and point the right toe toward the right.

After you have practiced in this manner for awhile, increase your tempo slightly and you will observe that the movement on the "and" count following Count 1 and Count 3, automatically shortens. As you practice this with more and more speed, this step will become so short that it is virtually an In place step.

POLKA BREAK

BOY'S PART:

1.         Step to left side with left foot and draw right foot toward left foot, letting right foot take the weight when it reaches a distance of about half-way to the left foot.
2.        Step slightly to the left again with the left foot and draw right foot toward left foot, letting right foot take the weight when it reaches a distance of about half-way to the left foot.
3.         Step to left side with left foot and draw right foot toward left foot, letting right foot take the weight when it reaches a distance of about half-way to the left foot.
4.        Step to left side with left foot and hop on left foot. At the same time, bend right knee picking right foot up from the floor, and point the right toe toward the right.

GIRL'S PART:

1.         Step to right side with right foot and draw left foot toward right foot, letting left foot take the weight when it reaches a  distance  of about half-way to the right foot.
2.        Step slightly to the right again with the right foot and hop on right foot. At same time, bend left knee picking left foot up from the floor, and point the left toe toward the left.

3.         Step to left side with left foot and draw right foot toward left foot, letting right foot take the weight when it reaches a distance of about half-way to the left foot.
4. Step slightly to the left again with the left foot (this step slides along the floor) and hop on left foot. At same time, bend right knee picking right foot up from the floor, and point the right toe toward the right.

You will notice that the Polka Break travels in one direction, whereas the Polka Time Step travels first in one direction and then in the other. Also, this break may be extended to whatever count is necessary to complete the musical phrase. This break resembles the Chassis Step which is frequently used in the Fox Trot—the chief difference being that it is faster-tempo, and the together step in the Polka never brings the feet actually together as the music is too fast to permit it.

POLKA TIME STEP (while turning)

BOY'S PART:   (Turning to Right)

Most of the turn actually takes place on the hop. To execute this turn to the right while traveling around the room, turn your left shoulder forward in the line of direction on the first step. The left toe should be turned slightly in. Then on the "and" count when the right foot steps In place, turn the right toe slightly out. When you step to the left again on Count 2, continue your turn by turning the left toe in again. Turn vigorously to the right on the hop. Then when you step to the right with your right foot, turn your right toe out, and on the following step with the left foot turn the left toe in. Turn your right toe out again when you step In place with the right foot, then turn vigorously to the right when you hop on your right foot.

It is much easier to do the Polka Time Step while turning than it is to do it while traveling in a direction around the room in a zig-zag floor pattern. After you have become more skilled, your foot will not actually leave the floor on the hop. Your body weight will lift or spring upward, and the ball of the foot will turn on the floor. This turn on the hop of the Polka resembles a pivot turn.

The Polka turn is usually executed to the right, so you should learn it first in that direction. Try turning to the left only after you have thoroughly mastered the turn to the right. The very skilled dancer is able to turn in one direction and then straighten out and turn back in the other direction.

GIRL'S PART:  (Turning to right)

Practice the same part as the boy, then when you dance with a partner, move to the right when your partner moves to the left—and vice versa.

POLKA TIME STEP (Showing position of free foot during hop)

The movement illustrated by the first two pictures below usually takes place while doing the Polka turn. The movements in pictures three and four occur when doing the time step from side to side.

When the hop is on the left foot, the right foot may lift in the back as shown in Figure 1. When the foot lifts back, the toe should point straight down toward the floor.       When the hop is on the right foot, the left foot may lift in the back as shown in Figure 2. When the foot lifts back, the toe should point straight down toward the floor.     Or, when a hop is on the left foot, the right foot may lift to the side. In doing this, the right toe should point toward the right, and the body should lean slightly in the opposite direc­tion. (Figure 3.)     When a hop is on the right foot, the left foot may lift to the side. The left toe should point toward the left, and the body should lean slightly in the opposite direction. (Figure 4.)

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