OT: The Polka

Dean

Well-known Member
My Mother was born in Tama County Iowa in 1915.

Eventually, she became a US Army nurse in WWII and first met my Father in Leyte Gulf in the Philippines in January 1945.

Looking past over family reunions in Iowa, I remember comments that Mom could "cut a rug" in WWII.

I also remember her saying that one of the regrets from her childhood was "never having learned to dance the polka."

When she was small, "Bohemian" communities were very nearby and closely associated. Most folks nearby could dance the polka but my Mother never learned.

The link below is a tribute to my Mother's acknowledged reticence and my recognition of the same.

Dean
Calrinete Polka
 
Is there a reason that you think your posts like this belong on TRACTOR TALK, rather than on TALERS !!!, which is specifically for OFF TOPIC posts.
You and some others, remind me of a driver going the wrong way on a "one way street"
Loren
 
Loren ... are you serious? When I first read your reply I thought maybe you and Dean were friends and you were just yanking his chain as a joke. Now maybe that's the case, but if it isn't, I'd suggest you give your head a shake, wake up and apologize for a VERY nasty and inappropriate comment. Sure, his post is off topic, like probably half of the posts here on Tractor Talk. Without the off-topic posts on the Tractor Talk forum, there would probably be 25% of the traffic on the whole site. Somewhere in the back of my mind, the term "bully" comes to mind ...... and there's enough bullying going around these days already in our world, we don't need any of it here on YT.
 
Forgive my typo.

[a RA should be an RA.]

Please post back if you cannot figure this out.

Dean
 
I will leave it to Kim and Chris where this site goes and stay, or leave.
I just can't understand why when the hosts have brought up their OT Talers forum from the cellar and put it the forefront, for your interests, that you fail to use that opportunity.
Loren
 
What INGNs are you talking about?

Once again, I don't give an RA what you think.

That said, please enjoy the Andrews Sisters version of The Pennsylvania Polka, linked below.

Dean
Pennsylvania Polka
 
Bully is not the proper term in this particular case, hypocrite seems to be a better fit. Over the years he has posted and responded to many o/t threads in tractor talk and for some reason he has chosen this particular one to throw his teddy bear out of his crib so to speak. Maybe polka music is some kind of trigger for bad childhood memories.
 
Good tune. I like the Chicken Dance and flying Dutchman. Seems to be a lot of beer consumption at Wedding Dances.
 
Dean THANK you for posting this link to the wonderful video. The older lady dancing the polka is the video reminds me of my Grand Mother so much that it brought a tear to my eye. She has been gone now for 30 years.

Also fellows quit spatting over what is posted where on this site. We have lost a lot of really good people on here just because of this kind of nonsense.

Here is a straight FACT. If you want the most views on a post Tractor Talk will generate the most. There are over 1.3 MILLION posts on talk. Under 19K on tales.
 
Always room in my life for the polka, don't care where I see the reference. My mom wasn't into it, but my wife's mom was, and I made a point of learning the dance at a place called Blob's Park here in Maryland. Huge German beer/dance hall, now gone after about 60 years in business. So when she came to visit I was able to dance with her. One of the strangest places I've ever been to, but lots of good memories from Blob's Park.
 
My wife and I have always loved to polka, but rarely get the chance anymore. So many folks never learn to dance anymore, just go to parties and stand around getting drunk. Once they get good and drunk, they all think they can dance, and flop around the floor, sloping their drinks all over.
But we have been to some good ones ! We went to an October fest , with a live orchestra, featuring Walter Ostanek, the Polka King.
I really enjoyed watching Lawrence Welks dancing the polka with that lady. Those folks sure could dance !
 
Thanks, Bruce.

Lawrence Welk was a great dancer. He could lead his partner over the Niagara Falls and she would follow.

You will note that the 75 year old gentleman struggled a bit with the Champaign Lady, Alice Lon (SP?). Though a good dancer, I expect that he had not danced with another partner for 50 or 60 years.

Dean
 
I learned to dance when I was in grade school, waltz, polka, 2 step, and schottische. My wife and I will drive several hours to dance to a good band. One good band we found was the "The Driving Sideways Band. Drove to Harlowton one weekend and then the next weekend we went to Lavina. What is life if you can't dance a little. Been to the southwest polka fest in Las Vegas for the last 2 years. If you like to dance that is the place for 3 days of dancing from 11am to 10 pm, with 6 different bands plus 2 jam sessions. Great music with a good time. Bud
 
DEAN THANK YOU for posting we are fortunate here in rural alberta, less than a mile from our house is the carvel hall built about 80 years ago by our local farmers back in the day. 4 times a year we have a big Ukrainian supper and dance here with live bands that play a great mix of music. polkas, waltzs, country 2 step u name it. the wife and I never miss a dance, we both grew up dancing at local halls, and learned to dance in the kitchen at home! you are all welcome to come to our fall supper and dance (perogys, cabbage rolls, all you can eat!) runs about $25.00 per person. thanks again dean.
 
Sounds like it's be a great evening.The dance halls in my area all played country music and were a place for folks to go to dance a little,get drunk and the main event was
fighting(LOL)
 
For our big dance hall, the house band was excellent. But when the Jimmy Sturr orchestra arrived in their tour bus, it was a big event. That huge place was packed. During the slow weeknights a local couple would teach newbies how to polka, and that's where my wife and I learned.
 
Bill Shibilskis Polka party every Sunday night on WFDU FM [you can stream it]. I really started to like it when he played a polka version of Blondie's "The Tide is High" . That made a good polka. Good tunes - college station.
 
My Grandparents Polka'ed into their mid-nineties, my parents danced until Dad could no longer stand up on his own. My wedding was the last one we have attended with a live polka band, and that was nearly 30 years ago...
 

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