Polka is a lively, bouncing style of dance that became wildly popular in Europe and America during the 1800s. Dancers move in quick, hopping steps to energetic music, usually in pairs, spinning around the dance floor. The music has a distinctive “oom-pah-pah” rhythm that makes you want to hop along.

The polka originated in Central Europe and spread so rapidly that it became a dance craze, like how certain songs or dances go viral today. By the mid-1800s, everyone from farmers to wealthy city dwellers was learning polka steps. The dance requires energy and coordination: partners must stay in rhythm while hopping and spinning together.

You might hear polka music at cultural festivals, especially those celebrating German, Polish, or Czech heritage. The accordion often features prominently in polka bands, giving the music its cheerful, bouncy sound.

The word also appears in polka dots, the pattern of evenly spaced round spots on fabric.