Polka Wengierka

POLKA WENGIERKA
Polish

PRONUNCIATION: POHL-kah vehn-GYEHR-kah

TRANSLATION: Hungarian dance

SOURCE: Dick Oakes learned this dance from Vyts Beliajus who taught it at the 1972 Idyllwild Workshop. It is described in his book Happy Dancing.

BACKGROUND: Wengierka is known throughout Europe and, by its very name ("The Hungarian"), is acknowledged for its Hungarian roots. In Northeastern Europe, including Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Finland, and Russia, Hungarians are called "Vengri" and in Poland as "Wengri." When this dance spread over these countries, it became known as "Vengierka" ("Wengierka" in Polish). In Hungary, the music is known as "Ritka Búza" ("scarce wheat"), an agricultural love song, and the dance is done as a "csárdás. Because of its widespread popularity, this dance has many variations characteristic of the various areas of Eastern Europe, although the theme is the same throughout.

MUSIC: Folkraft (LP) LP 39, side B, band 4.

FORMATION: Cpls facing CCW around the dance area in LOD, W on M R in "Varsouvianna" dance pos: M R handholding W R hand above her R shldr with his arm over the back of her shldrs, M L handholding W L hand in front of the R portion of his chest.

METER/RHYTHM: 4/4

STEPS/STYLE: Although the Polish people use this tiltle for the dance, the dance is not a polka.

MEAS MOVEMENT DESCRIPTION

INTRODUCTION

None.

I. FIGURE I

1 Moving CCW around the dance area with a slight kick fwd on each running step (M beg L and W beg R), run 4 steps (cts 1,2,3,4);

2 Small hop, M R and W L, pointing free ft fwd (ct 1); small hop, M R and W L, pointing free ft diag out (ct 2); jump to both in place, clicking heels together (ct 3); pause (ct 4);

3 Turning CCW in place with M moving bwd and W fwd, run 4 steps, beg M L and W R (cts 1,2,3,4);

4 Small hop, M R and W L, pointing free ft fwd (ct 1); small hop, M R and W L, pointing free ft diag out (ct 2); jump to both in place, clicking heels together (ct 3); pause (ct 4).

5-16 Repeat action of meas 1-4 three more times.

II. FIGURE II

1 Joining hands, M R and W L, and facing each other with M back to center of dance area, M L arm bent with L hand near his upper torso, W R hand on hip with fingers fwd or holding skirt, small step swd, M L and W R (ct 1); low hop M L and W R, raising free leg low swd R and stretching joined hands swd to M R, (ct 2); swinging joined hands through and turning back to back, M step R and W step L as M brings free hand out to side (ct 3); low hop, M R and W L (ct 4);

2 Facing ptr, small hop, M R and W L, pointing free ft fwd (ct 1); small hop, M R and W L, pointing free ft diag out (ct 2); jump to both in place, clicking heels together (ct 3); pause (ct 4);

3 Releasing hands, M folding arms in front of his upper torso, W putting both hands on hips, and with a slight kick fwd on each running step as ptrs turn away from each other to make a full turn (M to L beg L and W to R beg R), run 4 steps (cts 1,2,3,4);

4 Repeat action of Fig II, meas 2.

5-16 Repeat action of Fig II, meas 1-4, three more times.

III. FIGURE III

1 Facing ptr and joining inside hands, M R and W L, with M L arm curved overhead with palm inward, hop 4 times, M R and W L, moving swd to M L and clicking heels in the air prior to landing (cts 1,2,3,4);

2 Small hop, M R and W L, pointing free ft fwd (ct 1); small hop, M R and W L, pointing free ft diag out (ct 2); jump to both in place, clicking heels together (ct 3); pause (ct 4);

3 Releasing hands, M folding arms in front of his upper torso, W putting both hands on hips, both stamp R ft fwd and slightly to L next to ptrs R ft (ct 1); draw R ft back to place (ct 2); stamp R ft fwd and slightly to L next to ptrs R ft (ct 1); draw R back to place (ct 3); draw L back to place;

4 Repeat action of Fig III, meas 2;

5-16 Repeat action of Fig III, meas 1-4, three more times.

Repeat entire dance from beg.

Copyright © 2012 by Dick Oakes

POLKA WENGIERKA Polish

PRONUNCIATION:	POHL-kah vehn-GYEHR-kah

TRANSLATION:	Hungarian dance

SOURCE:	Dick Oakes learned this dance from Vyts Beliajus who taught it at the 1972 Idyllwild Workshop. It is described in his book Happy Dancing.

BACKGROUND:	Wengierka is known throughout Europe and, by its very name ("The Hungarian"), is acknowledged for its Hungarian roots. In Northeastern Europe, including Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Finland, and Russia, Hungarians are called "Vengri" and in Poland as "Wengri." When this dance spread over these countries, it became known as "Vengierka" ("Wengierka" in Polish). In Hungary, the music is known as "Ritka Búza" ("scarce wheat"), an agricultural love song, and the dance is done as a "csárdás. Because of its widespread popularity, this dance has many variations characteristic of the various areas of Eastern Europe, although the theme is the same throughout.

MUSIC:	Folkraft (LP) LP 39, side B, band 4.

FORMATION:	Cpls facing CCW around the dance area in LOD, W on M R in "Varsouvianna" dance pos: M R handholding W R hand above her R shldr with his arm over the back of her shldrs, M L handholding W L hand in front of the R portion of his chest.

METER/RHYTHM:	4/4

STEPS/STYLE:	Although the Polish people use this tiltle for the dance, the dance is not a polka.


MEAS	MOVEMENT DESCRIPTION


	INTRODUCTION

	None.

I.	FIGURE I

1	Moving CCW around the dance area with a slight kick fwd on each running step (M beg L and W beg R), run 4 steps (cts 1,2,3,4);
2	Small hop, M R and W L, pointing free ft fwd (ct 1); small hop, M R and W L, pointing free ft diag out (ct 2); jump to both in place, clicking heels together (ct 3); pause (ct 4);
3	Turning CCW in place with M moving bwd and W fwd, run 4 steps, beg M L and W R (cts 1,2,3,4);
4	Small hop, M R and W L, pointing free ft fwd (ct 1); small hop, M R and W L, pointing free ft diag out (ct 2); jump to both in place, clicking heels together (ct 3); pause (ct 4).

5-16	Repeat action of meas 1-4 three more times.

II.	FIGURE II

1	Joining hands, M R and W L, and facing each other with M back to center of dance area, M L arm bent with L hand near his upper torso, W R hand on hip with fingers fwd or holding skirt, small step swd, M L and W R (ct 1); low hop M L and W R, raising free leg low swd R and stretching joined hands swd to M R, (ct 2); swinging joined hands through and turning back to back, M step R and W step L as M brings free hand out to side (ct 3); low hop, M R and W L (ct 4);
2	Facing ptr, small hop, M R and W L, pointing free ft fwd (ct 1); small hop, M R and W L, pointing free ft diag out (ct 2); jump to both in place, clicking heels together (ct 3); pause (ct 4);
3	Releasing hands, M folding arms in front of his upper torso, W putting both hands on hips, and with a slight kick fwd on each running step as ptrs turn away from each other to make a full turn (M to L beg L and W to R beg R), run 4 steps (cts 1,2,3,4);
4	Repeat action of Fig II, meas 2.

5-16	Repeat action of Fig II, meas 1-4, three more times.

III.	FIGURE III

1	Facing ptr and joining inside hands, M R and W L, with M L arm curved overhead with palm inward, hop 4 times, M R and W L, moving swd to M L and clicking heels in the air prior to landing (cts 1,2,3,4);
2	Small hop, M R and W L, pointing free ft fwd (ct 1); small hop, M R and W L, pointing free ft diag out (ct 2); jump to both in place, clicking heels together (ct 3); pause (ct 4);
3	Releasing hands, M folding arms in front of his upper torso, W putting both hands on hips, both stamp R ft fwd and slightly to L next to ptrs R ft (ct 1); draw R ft back to place (ct 2); stamp R ft fwd and slightly to L next to ptrs R ft (ct 1); draw R back to place (ct 3); draw L back to place;
4	Repeat action of Fig III, meas 2;

5-16	Repeat action of Fig III, meas 1-4, three more times.

	Repeat entire dance from beg.
Copyright © 2012 by Dick Oakes