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In The language of the Bohémians the word, rejdovat means to "push, to and fro." This term is applied to the "Pursuit" in the round dances such as the Waltz, where the follower is pushed along the line of dance. In Zorns book he recommends a "figure (pattern) change every four measures." This change of figures was named the Redowa in Southern Germany in 1830. The Polka and Redowa are sometimes confused as the same dance when done in common time (4/4,) mainly because of the Polka-Redowa, which was much slower than the Polka, the only difference of the dance was the speed, it was still a polka. (However the Polka was first.) |
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When the Redowa is done to ¾ time it became basically a Waltz. The waltz-Mazurka was very, very similar. Depending on the time and location of many writers, they would list the dance as a Polka or Waltz, so the music (time signature etc.) would be the only difference. Fanny Cerrito and Arthur Saint Léon were avid dancers and performers of the Redowa (¾ time Polka) and introduced it to the Italians in 1845.
Allen Dodsworth says (1880s) "When first introduced, this dance had the same time of a Polka-Mazourka, the melody usually being smoother and more graceful in style. It consists of the three motions, leap, slide, change, the same as in the waltz. The accented motion falling upon the unaccented pair of the music, at this slow speed many persons failed in accenting it correctly, gradually falling into the simpler succession of slide, change, leap, as in the polka; after a time this was called Polka-Redowa, and completely displaced the Redowa. The name was, however, retained in the Redowa Waltz, and a distinction as made between that and the ordinary waltz by springing with great energy upon the leap -- the"too-too's" (or excessive, aka: dance addicts) of those days not failing to make their disposition known by exaggerating the leap. The beautiful waltz of today (1880's) is a subdued Redowa. Those who failed in those days, finding this Redowa beyond their powers of accomplishment, modified it to the Hop-waltz, as those who fail now modify the waltz to what is called the Boston."
The Redowaczka is basically a Gallopade (Galop) and a music change to 2/4 time. When the polka became the vogue, the Redowa and polka merged to become the Redowa-Polka, that remains till 1880s, Later these mixings would be called the Half and Half. The Redowa is executed by couples, like all the other waltzes, and is composed of three parts distinct from each other.
1st. The pursuit.
2nd. The waltz, called a Redowa.
3rd. The waltz à deux temps, executed to a peculiar measure, and which, by a change of the rhythm, assumes a new character. The speed was about 160 BPM. This dance was usually done in the center of the floor, while waltzers would dance along the edges.
The Mazurka and Redowa also had a blending, but it was mainly a music style blend that led to the Mazurka-Polka (Polka-Mazur), and is said to have been created by Princess "Marie Nicolaewna" (c.1839) who was the daughter of Russian " Emperor Nicholas I.
The Redowa is frequently executed under the name of "Tyrolienne" and many compositions have been made up of genuine Tyrolese airs. The melodies (¾ time) of the Tyrolese dances and Alpine songs called Yodelers and Landlers, done at weddings and festivals. The leader asks for her hand to dance, gently turns her, goes down on one knee and she turns around him, then perhaps lifts her high in the air.
In certain countries like Berlin, the Redowa is known as the "Hunter Schottische or Hunter Polka," from the "Neuchatel Hunters" (Military) of Berlin. Mr. Coulon is said to have introduced the Redowa to France in 1816 in many dance books of his time, However Coulon was born in 1808, which makes this highly unlikely... (It was in 1846 rather than 1816 by Coulon and Mrs. N. Henderson, at the Almack Rooms, in 1847 and supposedly England during the 1870s.) The French Redowa was similar to the waltz, being it was done in 3/4 time and used mazurka waltz patterns, while the basic step was a pas de Basque.
The Redowa Glissade was accepted by the American Society of Professors of Dancing, New York, in 1879.
Waltz Timeline (as close as I can find)
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