Ameriikan polkka, Koivisto, Parikkala, Sahalahti

Country: Finland
Type: couple dance
Steps: kantavarvashyppely (heel-toe step), polkka
Sheet music:
(1) Hukkanen, Timo/ Tanhuvakan sävelmistö. Helsinki: Suomalaisen Kansantanssin Ystävät ry, 2012. p.8.
(2) Rausmaa, Pirkko-Liisa & Esko/ Tanhuvakan sävelmistö. Helsinki: Suomalaisen Kansantanssin Ystävät ry, 1998. p.8.
(3) Väisänen, Yrjö/ nr, 114 in: Kisapirtti: 125 suomalaista kansantanssia - sävelmistö. Porvoo: Werner Söderström Oy, [1962]. p.55.
(4) Burchenal, Elizabeth (trans.)/ "America's polka" in: Folk-dances of Finland, containing sixty-five dances.... New York, NY: G. Schirmer, 1915. Porvoo: Werner Söderström Osakeyhtiö, [1962]. p.73.
Recordings: Jussi Tarkkanen Combo 'Ameriikan polkka' [YouTube]; Komulainen, Jari & Panu Helke Halihiljaa track 02; Polka Chicks [YouTube]; Tarkkanen, Jussi Ameriikan polkka (JOT-1) track 07; Talkoopelimannit & Karpalot Muistot track 12 [YouTube]. See also midi file.

    Parikkala:
Formation: open circle of couples, open waist-shoulder hold. facing LOD.
Bars Part Dance progression:
|:1-4:| (a) Kantavarvashyppely (heel-toe): All dance 2 heel-toe steps with R foot (1-2), [heel forward, back onto toes (1)]. Ditto with L foot (3-4).
Repeat (a).
|:5-8:| (b) Polkkaa: In polkka hold (closed waist-shoulder hold with outside (ML/WR) hands on M's L hip) couples dance 4 polkka steps turning CW moving in LOD (5-8). Ditto turning CCW (5-8).
[Repeat from (a) as desired.]

Provenance: documented by Hertta Olson and Hellin Teitti in Parikkala in 1906.

   
    Koivisto:
Formation: open circle of couples, waltz hold. facing LOD.
Bars Part Dance progression:
1 (a) Kantavarvashyppely (heel-toe): In waltz hold, with outside (ML/WR) foot, couples dance 1 heel-toe step.
2   Beginning with outside (ML/WR) foot, couples dance 1 polkka step turning CW and moving backwards [in RLOD].
3   Without dropping hold and facing RLOD, couples dance 1 heel-toe step with inside (MR/WL) foot.
4   Beginning with inside (MR/WL) foot, couples dance 1 polkka step turning CCW and moving backwards [in LOD].
1-4   Repeat (a).
|:5-8:| (b) Polkkaa: In polkka hold (closed waist-shoulder hold but outside (ML/WR) hands on M's L hip) couples dance 4 polkka steps turning CW moving in LOD (5-8). Ditto turning CCW (5-8).
[Repeat from (a) as desired.]

Provenance: documented by Anni Collan who got it from Maria Kuitulta, who had taught it in Koivisto around 1886.

   
    Sahalahti:
Formation: open circle of couples, 'cheek to cheek' hold, [ie very close hug].
Bars Part Dance progression:
1 (a) Kantavarvashyppely (heel-toe): In waltz hold, with outside (ML/WR) foot, couples dance 1 heel-toe step [sideways].
2   Couples dance 3 quick stamps [on the spot].
3   With inside (MR/WL) foot, couples dance 1 heel-toe step to the side.
4   Couples dance 3 quick stamps [on the spot].
1-4   Repeat (a).
|:5-8:| (b) Polkkaa: In polkka hold (closed waist-shoulder hold but outside (ML/WR) hands on M's L hip) couples dance 4 polkka steps turning CW moving in LOD (5-8). Ditto turning CCW (5-8).
[Repeat from (a) as desired.]

Provenance: documented by Toivo Salonen, 1902. Salonen mentioned that the dance had come from Tampere to Sahalahti 10 to 15 years earlier but was no longer danced.

Provenance: Lyrics composed some time in 1940s, authorship unknown. [See Rausmaa, Esko, 2012, p.36 & Collan, A. 1946 pp. 41-42.]

Source: Rausmaa, Esko/ Tanhuvakka: Suomen perinnetanssit - toimittanut. s.l.: Suomalaisen Kansantanssin Ystävät ry, 2012. pp.36-37.
See also:
-- Rausmaa, Pirkko-Liisa & Esko/ Tanhuvakka: suuri suomalainen kansantanssikirja. Porvoo: Werner Söderström, 1977. pp. 63-65.
-- Väisänen, Yrjö/ nr, 114 in: Kisapirtti: 125 suomalaista kansantanssia. Porvoo: Werner Söderström Oy, [1962]. pp. 136-137.
-- Collan, Anni/ nr. 13 in: Suomalainen kisapirtti. 4 painos. Helsinki: V. Söderström, 1946. pp. 41-43.
-- Burchenal, Elizabeth (trans.)/ "America's polka" (Parikkala, Sahalahti) in: Folk-dances of Finland, containing sixty-five dances.... New York, NY: G. Schirmer, 1915. Porvoo: Werner Söderström Osakeyhtiö, [1962]. p.73.

Translation: L. Ruus, Oakville, rev. Raila Erme, Toronto, 2023-01-23.


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