Polka "Polka". Nejedlý also writes that Václav Vladivoj Tomek also claims the Hradec Králové roots of a Polka. OED also suggests that the name may have been derived from the Czech "Polka" meaning "Polish woman" (feminine form corresponding to "Polák", a Pole). The word was widely introduced into the major European languages in the early 1840s. It should not be confused with the "polska", a Swedish dance with Polish roots (cf. polka-mazurka). A related dance is the redowa. Polkas almost always have a time signature. Folk music of Polka style appeared in written music about 1800. The beginning of the propagation
Polka in the United States polka entertainment". Today, the IPA still carries out yearly conventions every summer to allow polka fans to gather and to present the annual Polka Music Awards. The IPA established the Polka Music Hall of Fame in 1968 to honor worthy performers. In 1982, a building was established to house the Polka Music Hall of Fame and Museum. Throughout the United States (and especially through the so-called "polka belt"), polka fans gather to participate in polka festivals. Many of these festivals are arranged by organizations such as the IPA and the United States Polka Association. Others, such as Polish-style performer Eddie