TitleThe celebrated polka dance
NamesBrandard, John, 1812-1863 (Associated name)Offenbach, Jacques, 1819-1880 (Composer)
CollectionPrints depicting dance
Subjects
Dates / OriginDate Issued: 1840 - 1849 (Questionable)Place: PhiladelphiaPlace: New YorkPublisher: A. Fiot ; W. Dubois
Library locationsJerome Robbins Dance DivisionShelf locator: *MGZFD Pol 20
TopicsPolka (Dance)Grisi, Carlotta, 1819-1899Perrot, Jules, 1810-1892
GenresPrintsSheet music coversScores
NotesStatement 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 DescriptionEtchingsExtent: 1 print : etching, b&w ; 34 x 26 cm., plate mark 27 x 20 cm.
DescriptionSheet music cover illustration depicting two dancing couples in Polish folk costume.
Type of ResourceStill imageNotated music
LanguagesEnglish
IdentifiersRLIN/OCLC: 818325659NYPL catalog ID (B-number): b19724457Universal Unique Identifier (UUID): a5b920e0-fd7f-0132-9852-58d385a7bbd0
Rights StatementThe 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.
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