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Valina Polka 's Interests
General
DANCING, singing, playing washboard, playing cowbells, laughing, bird watching, traveling, performing
Performance history:
As Emcee:
· Muenster Germanfest, Muenster, Texas - April 2006, 2007,2008
· Tomball German Heritage Festival, Tomball, Texas - March 2006, 2007, 2008
· Houston International Festival, Houston, Texas - April 2006
· Penang German Society Oktoberfest, Penang Malaysia - November 2006
· Saint Arnold’s Oktoberfest, Houston, Texas - October 2006, 2007
· Addison Oktoberfest, Addison, Texas – September 2005, 2006, 2007
· Texas Folklife Festival, San Antonio, Texas – June 2006, 2007
· Oktoberfest Garden in the Heights, Houston, Texas - October 1997 through 2002
· Houston St Patrick’s Festival Garden in the Heights, Houston, Texas – March 1999 through 2002
As Rabble Rouser:
· Brenham Maifest, Brenham, Texas - May 2007, 2008
· Bavarian Christmas Tenant Appreciation party, Allen Center, downtown Houston - December 2006
· Oktoberfest Our Savior Lutheran Church, Houston, Texas - October 2005, 2006, 2007
· Texas Renaissance Festival in the Arborhaus Biergarten, Montgomery County, Texas – October / November 2005, 2006
· Saltzgitter Mannesmann (formerly Thyssen Steel) annual party, Houston, Texas – October 2006, 2007
· Thyssen Steel Corp annual party, Houston, Texas - 2004
Folk Dance Exhibition:
· Greater Southwest Chamber of Commerce annual party, Houston, Texas – October 2006
· Bavarian Christmas Allen Center Tenant Appreciation party, downtown Houston - December 2006
· Oktoberfest Our Savior Lutheran Church (Lutherfest), Houston, Texas – October 2005, 2006, 2007
Kinkaid School November 2002, 2008
As Member Of A Band:
As Das Ist Lustig: Tomball Night, August 2007, Texas German Society Sept 2007, Westfest under the West tent, September 2007, Friesenhaus Restaurant in New Braunfels - various dates fall of 2007, Wurstfest in New Braunfels Nov 2007, Oasis Lifestyles retirement center - various dates 2007, Tomball Hospital Oct 2007, The Dutchman Bar Oct 2007, beechnut Manor Nursing Home Oct 2007, Kinkaid Intertational Fair Jan 2008, Frostwood Elementary International night Jan 2008, Various private parties April 2008, National Accordion Convention March 2008, Tomball German Heritage Festival March 2008, Brenham Maifest May 2008
· Christ Lutheran Church German Sausage Dinner, Pattison, Texas – May 2007 and 2008 with Matt Tolentino
· Big Woodrow’s on Chimney Rock, Houston, Texas – October 2006 with Wolf Kayser and Chris Rybak
· Friesenhaus Restaurant, New Braunfels, Texas - various dates with Terry Cavanagh
· Regency in Schulenburg, Texas - September 2006 with Chris Rybak
· Terry Cavanagh and the Alpine Express:
McAllen Rotary South Oktoberfest - November 2004 - 2006
Salzgitter Mannesmann (formerly Thyssen Steel Corp) Annual party - October 2005
Cullman Oktoberfest in Cullman, Alabama – October 2004
Oktoberfest dance Birmingham German Club in Birmingham
Alabama - October 2004
Huntsville Arsenal Oktoberfest - October 2004
Wurstfest in New Braunfels, Texas – November 2004 - 2006
Thyssen Steel Corp Annual party 2002
Music
POLKA: German, Czech, Dutch, Polish, heck, any polka is good polka. Al Meixner Trio, Alpenfest, Alpenmusikanten, Brave Combo, Caitlin and Terry, Chris Rybak, Czechoholics, Das Ist Lustig, Dujka Brothers, Los Super Vatos, Polka Freak Out, Terry Cavanagh and the Alpine Express, Walburg Boys... geez, too many to mention!
Country: The old stuff, some of the new stuff and Western Swing. Asleep at the Wheel, Don Williams, Hardwood Brothers, Wild River Band, Tuna Sin,
Swing: Benny Goodman, Frank Sinatra, Glenn Miller, Johnny Dyson's big band, Ronnie Renfro band, Swing Serenade.
Classic Rock: various, Eagles
Pop Rock: various.
Folk: Simon and Garfunkle, Old Blind Dogs, Enya. In a class by himself: Spike Jones
Movies
I like almost any movie with dancing and singing in it. South Pacific, The King And I, Sound Of Music, Oklahoma, Singing In The Rain, Grease, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Mary Poppins... I also love a good comedy: Ferris Bueller, Princess Bride, Dumb and Dumber, IQ, Real Genius, Benny and Joon, National Lampoon's European Vacation...
Television
OH! That's what that box with knobs and a moving picture is all about!
Okay, I still watch MASH reruns...Don't think I'll ever get tired of them. I love the Simpsons - especially the episode Brave Combo was on! Dancing with the Stars, Lawrence Welk (on channel 8) If I had Satelite TV, I would probably watch the Big Joe Polka Show.
Books
The Pern series and the Rowan series by Ann McCaffrey. Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn, The Chronicles of Narnia - my favorite one so far is Prince Caspian - Can't wait to see the movie! All the Harry Potter books. Stephen King, The Scarlet Letter, The Texas Polka News, Mom's collection of history books about all of the European royal families. They lived such different lives! I also want to read about the European artists - Rembrandt, Monet, Van Gogh... Half Price Books will love me!
Heroes
The US Military, Firemen, and people who care about others without judgement.
...and musicians...
About me: Dance teacher (various European styles, folk dance and freestyle), Emcee for German festivals, International festivals and special events, percussionist and singer for the Das Ist Lustig band, some bluegrass bands, German and Dutch folk dance exhibition and skilled rabble rouser.
* * * * * 2008 CALENDAR * * * * *
Saturday July 26 6pm - 7:30pm Das Ist Lustig party at the Dutchman! JJ and Lala's 25th wedding anniversary, JJ's Birthday, and their son Aaron USMC
Friday August 1 Das Ist Lustig at the Tomball Night- We'll play on and off from 6pm - 10pm in the Tomball German Heritage Festival tent. It's free! Come out and party! We'll be on Market street, probably near the depot.
Friday and Saturday August 8-9, 6:30 - 9:30pm Das Ist Lustig at the Friesenhaus Restaurant in New Braunfels, Texas.
August 23 Das Ist Lustig 50th Anniversary in San Angelo private party.
August 30 - 31 Das Ist Lustig at Westfest: Saturday and Sunday Noon - 1:30 under the West tent.
Friday and Saturday September 5-6, 6:30 - 9:30pm Das Ist Lustig at the Friesenhaus Restaurant in New Braunfels, Texas.
Sept 11 - 13 Teach dance lessons and rabble rouser Siemens convention -private party
Sept 18 - 21 Emcee for Addison Oktoberfest and TBA Das Ist Lustig.
Friday and Saturday September 26-27, 6:30 - 9:30pm Das Ist Lustig at the Friesenhaus Restaurant in New Braunfels, Texas. We'll be celebrating Ross' 38th birthday! Come party with us!
Friday and Saturday October 3-4, 6:30 - 9:30pm Das Ist Lustig at the Friesenhaus Restaurant in New Braunfels, Texas.
Oktober 9 Rabble Rouser private party
Friday and Saturday October 10-11, 6:30 - 9:30pm Das Ist Lustig at the Friesenhaus Restaurant in New Braunfels, Texas.
October 17 and 18 Rabble Rouser for Saint Arnold's Oktoberfest at the Saint Arnold's Brewery - Brave Combo, all the beer you can drink and Rudi Lechners catering....and did I mention, all the beer you can drink? Party from 6 - 9pm. Book your tickets soon - visit the Saint Arnold Myspace for more information.
October 25 Das Ist Lustig at Hans' Bier Haus in the Village in Houston. We'll be there with the full three piece band playing beer drinking tunes from 6 - 10pm in the beer garden. Come drink, dance, play bocce ball and be merry!
October 26 private party
October 26 Houston Oktoberfest presented by Rudi Lechner's Restaurant! 2pm - 8pm Chateau Crystale behind Rudi's restaurant on Gessner. Wear your full Bavarian costume and get in free. Costume contests, Chicken dance contest, games, dancing and fun!
Friday October 31, 6:30 - 9:30pm Das Ist Lustig at the Friesenhaus Restaurant in New Braunfels, Texas. Celebrate Halloween with us!! Come get a healthy meal after all that trick or treating!
Saturday November 1, 6:30 - 9:30pm Das Ist Lustig at the Friesenhaus Restaurant in New Braunfels, Texas.
Wednesday November 5, 6:30 - 9:30pm Das Ist Lustig at the Friesenhaus Restaurant in New Braunfels, Texas.
Friday and Saturday November 10-11, 6:30 - 9:30pm Das Ist Lustig at the Friesenhaus Restaurant in New Braunfels, Texas.
December 6 Christmas party Oasis Lifestyles
December 13 11:30 - 8:00pm Emcee for Tomball German Christmas Market. Das Ist Lustig plays 4-8pm. We'll have special guest Mike Stroup on guitar with us. Don't miss this show!
EXCITEMENT…
FRIVOLITY…
INFECTIOUS ENTHUSIASM!!!
Want your festival wound up?
Want your guests to Loosen up?
You need a skilled Rabble Rouser!
Valina will inspire your guests and get your party to polka. She will turn
the dance floor into frolicking fun as unsuspecting party goers are
mesmerized while quarry after quarry are lead in polka fun, laughing and
unconstrained participation. Ein Prosit, What to do? No one will have to
ask. Shunkel lieder, Everyone will lean left and right. Leading a march?
No one left in their chair.
Valina has 18 years experience leading audience participation; 9 years
as emcee and leading audiences at German festivals and private parties in and around Texas and internationally. In November of 2006, she was the official emcee for the Oktoberfest in Penang Malaysia. She started a polka band in spring of 2007 called Das Ist Lustig. They have already performed at Westfest, Wurstfest, The Texas Folklife Festival, The Friesenhaus Restaurant and many other venues. She has toured with Terry Cavanagh and the Alpine Express. She yodels and sings as a guest with Brave Combo. She also sang with Alpenfest, the Inntaler Musikanten and the Gypsies. She’s played the cowbells as a guest with the Inntaler Musikanten, Terry Cavanagh and Chris Rybak. She performs German folk dances with her partner, Mark Thomann. Valina has traveled Germany, Austria and Holland extensively studying languages and culture. She speaks Dutch, some German and is tastefully costumed in Dirndl or Lederhosen.
Tuned Austrian cowbells, Washboard, Boombas, Folk dance exhibition, dance instruction, Chicken dance, Zillertaller Hochseitsmarch, Herr Schmidt, Paul Jones, Garden Waltz, Seven Step Polka, Ein Prosit, marches, contests, shunkel and singalong, Valina will connect your audience with your band. Don’t leave it to chance - color your event with charm and leadership from the very best!
valinapolka@yahoo.com
Check out this video of me leading my 2008 Muenster Germanfest bell choir!
Check in here for information on future folk style polka, waltz and schottische lessons!
Here's a video from the 2007 Wurstfest! Alex and his band Meixner Music invited Stephan from the Hohberg Buam and me to join in on the Boombas jam with their band. Enjoy.
I'm totally honored! This certificate is written to me but it is in regards to my new duo Das Ist Lustig for our performance at the 2007 Texas Folklife Festival. There was a mixup in the scheduling and they printed my name instead of the band's name. But we're still totally pshyched about this honor.
Here's a youtube of Terry Cavanagh and I dancing to the music of the Walburg Boys at Wurstfest last year. Watch for dance lessons to be available again and you can do this too!
Who I'd like to meet: Everyone who likes polka and beer!
People who want to learn to waltz and polka! People who already know how to waltz and polka and want to do more! I wish I could have met Lawrence Welk. I did meet Myron Floren. People who like polka music and dance in general: Musicians, singers, dancers and artists - creative people. People who like a hot polka and a cold brew any day of the year.
We are fine here in Iowa. We live in between the two big cities that were flooded, so we couldn't get to work for about a week. The smell is horrible, and the water smells so we have to use bottled. This is has been a crazy 6 months in Iowa, first it was the snow storms now the floods, maybe I should have stayed in Chicago....LOL
Hey!! The swing festival was awesome =]] We are going to another one this weekend... and Ray Price will be playing there. It should be a lot of fun! I'm really looking forward to it. So you were at the Folk Life Festival??? Oh wow, I didn't realize you'd be there. Well I'm sorry we missed you guys! Btw, my dad said that my grandmother's friend just died (so they will probably be calling ya'll soon. Her funeral is going to be Thursday.) I'll talk to you later!!!! Tell Ross and your parents I said hey ;)
Hey Miss V. I may be coming to Houston for Thanksgiving this year, and would love to make some time to see you. That is if you are going to be in town during that time.
