Polka, Tango, Waltz

Quick Facts

Three of the types of compositions Chiquinha Gonzaga composed were polkas, tangos, and waltzes.
All three are considered partner dances and ballroom dances.
You could play some examples of Gonzaga’s compositions, but since many of her pieces are played by piano alone, it might be easier for students to hear the differences by other composers.
Below is a brief comparison chart of all three.

	POLKA	TANGO	WALTZ
ORIGIN	Early 1800s in Central Europe (Bohemia, now called Czechia)	Late 1800s in South America (Argentina & Uruguay)	1200s in Western & Central Europe (Germany & Austria)
DANCE STYLE	consists of 3 quick steps + hop, also includes skipping + spinning	partners dance close together, fancy footwork, sharp movements followed by pauses, ballroom version has formal dance steps, while other versions can be improvised	smooth, gliding movements, swaying in a rise and fall pattern
METER	duple	duple	triple
MUSIC	energetic, cheerful, upbeat	rhythmic, syncopated, passionate, expressive, intense, blends African, European, and Indigenous rhythms	emphasis on beat one, flowing, lyrical melodies
TEMPO	fast	relatively slow	relatively fast
TRADITIONAL INSTRUMENTS	accordion, brass, sometimes clarinet, fiddle, drums	button accordion ("bandoneón"), piano, violins, double bass, sometimes flute, clarinet, guitar	full orchestra
C. GONZAGA COMPOSITIONS	Tango Brasileiro	Gaúcho (Corta Jaca)	Atraente
OTHER RECORDINGS	Beer Barrel Polka	La Cumparsita	The Blue Danube
DANCE VIDEOS	polka video	tango video	waltz video
LINKS	Polka in the classroom	Dance in Argentina	Upper elementary lesson
LINKS	Let's polka!	Teach kids the tango	Circle waltz mixer