Polka Polka The polka is originally a Czech dance and genre of dance music familiar throughout Europe and the Americas. It originated in the middle of the 19th century in Bohemia, now part of the Czech Republic. The polka remains a popular folk music genre in many European countries, and is performed by folk artists in the Czech Republic, Germany, Austria, Slovenia, Switzerland, and Finland, and to a lesser extent in Poland, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Hungary, Italy, Ukraine, Romania, Belarus, Russia, and Slovakia. Local varieties of this dance are also found in the Nordic countries, Spain's Basque Country, the United
Pavane (Fauré) Passepied in his "Suite bergamasque" and Ravel's "Pavane pour une infante défunte", and "Pavane de la belle au bois dormant" in "Ma mère l'oye". The lyrics, which are optional in the orchestral version, were written by the French Robert de Montesquiou. C'est Lindor, c'est Tircis et c'est tous nos vainqueurs! C'est Myrtille, c'est Lydé! Les reines de nos coeurs! Comme ils sont provocants! Comme ils sont fiers toujours! Comme on ose régner sur nos sorts et nos jours! Faites attention! Observez la mesure! Ô la mortelle injure! La cadence est moins lente! Et la chute plus sûre! Nous rabattrons bien