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The celebrated polka dance

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Library division & collection with this item:

LIBRARY DIVISION
Jerome Robbins Dance Division

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COLLECTION
Prints depicting dance

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SUB-COLLECTION
Subjects

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This Item

The celebrated polka dance

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Title
The celebrated polka dance
Names
Brandard, John, 1812-1863 (Associated name)
Offenbach, Jacques, 1819-1880 (Composer)
Collection

Prints depicting dance

Subjects

Dates / Origin
Date Issued: 1840 - 1849 (Questionable)
Place: Philadelphia
Place: New York
Publisher: A. Fiot ; W. Dubois
Library locations
Jerome Robbins Dance Division
Shelf locator: *MGZFD Pol 20
Topics
Polka (Dance)
Grisi, Carlotta, 1819-1899
Perrot, Jules, 1810-1892
Genres
Prints
Sheet music covers
Scores
Notes
Statement of responsibility: composed by J. Offenbach.
Caption title.
Biographical/historical: The couple at left has been identified with Jules Perrot and Carlotta Grisi, ballet dancers who performed a theatricalized version of the polka in a divertissement of the same title, first presented at the Théâtre de la Porte-Saint-Martin in Paris in March 1844. The image of the two dancers is based on a lithographed sheet music cover illustration signed by the British artist John Brandard, whose works portray many of the major dancers of the Romantic era.
Biographical/historical: The polka enjoyed enormous popularity both as a dance and a musical form. Although opinions about its origins differ, it is believed to have roots in Poland or Bohemia. It was brought to Prague in 1837 and made its way to Vienna, St. Petersburg, Paris, and London. Capitalizing on its growing popularity as a ballroom dance, Jules Perrot and Carlotta Grisi introduced it to the ballet stage in 1844. In the mid 1800s, it rivalled the waltz as a dance craze. It has survived into the twenty-first century, and until 2009 was included as a category in the Grammy Awards.
Physical Description
Etchings
Extent: 1 print : etching, b&w ; 34 x 26 cm., plate mark 27 x 20 cm.
Description
Sheet music cover illustration depicting two dancing couples in Polish folk costume.
Type of Resource
Still image
Notated music
Languages
English
Identifiers
RLIN/OCLC: 818325659
NYPL catalog ID (B-number): b19724457
Universal Unique Identifier (UUID): a5b920e0-fd7f-0132-9852-58d385a7bbd0
Rights Statement
The New York Public Library believes that this item is in the public domain under the laws of the United States, but did not make a determination as to its copyright status under the copyright laws of other countries. This item may not be in the public domain under the laws of other countries. Though not required, if you want to credit us as the source, please use the following statement, "From The New York Public Library," and provide a link back to the item on our Digital Collections site. Doing so helps us track how our collection is used and helps justify freely releasing even more content in the future.

Item timeline of events

  • 1812: Creator Born
  • 1840: Issued (Approximate)
  • 1863: Creator Died
  • 2019: Digitized
  • 2024: Found by you!
  • 2025

MLA Format

Jerome Robbins Dance Division, The New York Public Library. "The celebrated polka dance" The New York Public Library Digital Collections. 1840 - 1849. https://digitalcollections.nypl.org/items/c3a1dec0-0251-0133-c31f-58d385a7b928

Chicago/Turabian Format

Jerome Robbins Dance Division, The New York Public Library. "The celebrated polka dance" New York Public Library Digital Collections. Accessed April 28, 2024. https://digitalcollections.nypl.org/items/c3a1dec0-0251-0133-c31f-58d385a7b928

APA Format

Jerome Robbins Dance Division, The New York Public Library. (1840 - 1849). The celebrated polka dance Retrieved from https://digitalcollections.nypl.org/items/c3a1dec0-0251-0133-c31f-58d385a7b928

Wikipedia Citation

<ref name=NYPL>{{cite web | url=https://digitalcollections.nypl.org/items/c3a1dec0-0251-0133-c31f-58d385a7b928 | title= (still image) The celebrated polka dance, (1840 - 1849) |author=Digital Collections, The New York Public Library |accessdate=April 28, 2024 |publisher=The New York Public Library, Astor, Lenox, and Tilden Foundations}}</ref>

The celebrated polka dance