In praise of the polka

Re “Oompah and out,” Editorial, June 6

At the Lithuanian Saturday School of Los Angeles, I recently left 50 pre-teens and teenagers dancing polka steps in preparation for a folk dance festival in Lithuania.

In their daily lives, these teens are athletes, A-students, pianists and artists, but they do the polka and are very proud of it. They see it as a connection to their Lithuanian heritage and a chance to show off their dancing prowess. Long live the polka.

Marija Newsom

Beverly Hills

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Though I thoroughly agree with your disappointment at the elimination of the best polka album category from the Grammy Awards, your musical efficiency was diminished when you wrote “polka’s three-quarter time” and “it will proudly waltz on.”

By traditional definition, the polka is, and was, composed, written and performed in two-quarter time.

Danny Gould

Studio City