PRINTER'S NO. 1486
No. 1260 Session of 2005
INTRODUCED BY DALLY, BEBKO-JONES, CALTAGIRONE, CORRIGAN, DENLINGER, GRUCELA, HERSHEY, JAMES, ROBERTS, SCAVELLO, B. SMITH, E. Z. TAYLOR, WOJNAROSKI AND YOUNGBLOOD, MARCH 31, 2005
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON STATE GOVERNMENT, MARCH 31, 2005
AN ACT 1 Designating polka music as the official folk music of the 2 Commonwealth of Pennsylvania; and designating the American 3 square dance as the official folk dance of the Commonwealth 4 of Pennsylvania. 5 WHEREAS, Polka music originated in Europe, stemming from 6 classical origins, and was brought to this country with many 7 groups of immigrants from Europe; and 8 WHEREAS, Polka music was transformed into a newer form of 9 music in the 1920s and 1930s and is still evolving; and 10 WHEREAS, Modern polka music has been a popular form of music 11 in this Commonwealth during the 20th century; and 12 WHEREAS, The "Pennsylvania Polka" is one of the most famous 13 and respected polkas heard throughout the United States; and 14 WHEREAS, Polka music is a main part of many major festivals 15 in this Commonwealth as demonstrated by the Polka Fireworks 16 Festival held at the Seven Springs Resort in Champion on the 17 July 4th weekend, the National Shrine of Our Lady of Czestochowa 18 in Doylestown held in September and the most well-attended
1 festival in the United States with over one million people 2 attending in 1997, Musikfest in Bethlehem, all of which are 3 nationally renowned; and 4 WHEREAS, Pennsylvania has numerous facilities specifically 5 used for polka music, such as Fiedor's Grove, simply known as 6 "The Grove" throughout the national polka community, located 7 near Mt. Pleasant, and Jolly Joe Timmer's Picnic Grove at Point 8 Phillips in Northampton County where dances are conducted 9 throughout the year; and 10 WHEREAS, Pennsylvania is represented in the Polka Hall of 11 Fame by Walt Groller of Whitehall and Jolly Joe Timmer of 12 Bethlehem; and 13 WHEREAS, Some of the leading polka bands in the United States 14 are from Pennsylvania; and 15 WHEREAS, Polka music can be heard on many radio stations 16 throughout this Commonwealth; and 17 WHEREAS, Dancing to, listening to and performing polka music 18 is still and will continue to be a popular form of musical 19 expression with the residents of this Commonwealth; and 20 WHEREAS, Square dance is in itself representative of the 21 melting pot of our nation having been brought to this country by 22 our pioneers; and 23 WHEREAS, The ancestry of American square dance can be traced 24 as far back as 1450, as shown by its genealogical history, and 25 includes a multitude of dance forms from England, Germany, 26 Poland, Ireland, Scotland and Mexico; and 27 WHEREAS, Records in American history from 1651 show American 28 square dance has been danced through the years dating back to 29 the days of our first settlers; and 30 WHEREAS, Square dance offers fun and fellowship to both young 20050H1260B1486 - 2 -
1 and old as well as the handicapped, with no restrictions as to 2 race, color or creed; and 3 WHEREAS, Due to the popularity of American square dance, 4 square dance federations have been formed in every state in the 5 United States and in most foreign countries; and 6 WHEREAS, Square dance is the American folk dance which 7 includes squares, rounds, contra, clogging, country western and 8 line dancing; and 9 WHEREAS, Since 1951 square dance enthusiasts have joined 10 together for a National Square and Round Dance Convention; and 11 WHEREAS, Since 1994 the Pennsylvania Square and Round Dance 12 Federation has sponsored annual State Square and Round Dance 13 Conventions in this Commonwealth. 14 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania 15 hereby enacts as follows: 16 Section 1. Designation of official folk music of the 17 Commonwealth. 18 Polka music is hereby selected, designated and adopted as the 19 official folk music of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. 20 Section 2. Designation of official folk dance of the 21 Commonwealth. 22 The American square dance is hereby selected, designated and 23 adopted in perpetuity as the official folk dance of the 24 Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and added to the array of symbols 25 of our Commonwealth. 26 Section 3. Effective date. 27 This act shall take effect immediately. B24L71JS/20050H1260B1486 - 3 -