Dance performed in Smetana's "The Bartered Bride"

POLKA

This lively Czech partner dance features hopping steps and was popular in 19th-century ballrooms.

This clue refers to the lively folk dance called the polka, which is featured in Bedřich Smetana’s comic opera The Bartered Bride. The opera, set in a Czech village, includes a famous polka scene that highlights the dance’s energetic, hopping steps and 2/4 time signature. If you’re familiar with classical music or Central European traditions, the polka’s connection to this work makes it a straightforward answer. The name itself comes from the Czech word půlka, meaning "half-step," reflecting the dance’s quick, light movements.