Christmas is a happy holiday with many German inspired traditions. Traditions like gingerbread houses and polka dancing. So, we have put together a how to for the Christmas Polka line dance.
Gingerbread and Christmas
Gingerbread at Christmas dates to the middle ages. From there gingerbread men were made popular by Queen Elizabeth. German bakers then began to build whimsical houses out of gingerbread. In the Victorian era gingerbread houses took a leap in popularity due to the Grim Brothers story Hansel and Gretel. From there gingerbread houses have remained a popular Christmas tradition.
German Polka
Polka (link) is another popular German Christmas dance. Originating in Bohemia (link), it rose in popularity during the Victorian era. It was so popular that the polka dot was named after it. Turning the polka from a partnership dance into a line dance is a delightful way to experience this Christmas dance. We chose the prince and princess of gingerbread Hansel & Gretel to demonstrate how to dance the Christmas polka in front of their gingerbread house.
Christmas Polka Line Dance How To
Step 1
Side Polka step with back rock right and left.
Triple step to right (right side, left close to right, right side) count 1&2.
Back rock (right foot back, replace weight to left foot) count 3,4.
Triple to the left (left side, right close, left side) count 5&6.
Back rock (left back, replace right) count 7,8.
Step 2
Polka steps forward.
Triple forward (right foot forward, close left to right, right foot forward) count 1&2
Triple forward (left foot forward, close right to left, left foot forward.) count 3&4,
Step 3
About face and stomp.
Walk around turn (forward right foot turn 180 to right, replace weight to left foot) count 5,6.
Stomp right foot 7, stomp left foot 8.
*Repeat from the top until the end of the song.
Song:
Christmas polka
On a side note, this line dance can also be used for Oktoberfest when change the song to the Beer Barrel Polka, or any other good German polka song of your choosing.
Location:
Adventures in Dance in Littleton Colorado on the super-secret second floor of what was once the historic Fox movie theatre.
Cast:
Hansel- Craig Tomazin
Gretel- Holly Tomazin
Holly Collins-Tomazin
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Resources
https://ourpastimes.com/history-of-german-folk-dance-12343546.html
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/un-christmassy-origin-gingerbread-houses-180967461/ https://www.pookpress.co.uk/project/hansel-and-gretel-history/