The polka was introduced in the very early 1900’s due to the musical works of Johann Strauss and his son by the same name. The word polka actually means Polish woman even though there are many different varieties of the polka that have been introduced around the globe. The polka actually originated in a part of Czechoslovakia as a way for the peasants of the land to entertain themselves at community gatherings.

Once this particular dance started gaining popularity, there weren’t enough places for people to dance. There also weren’t enough people to teach it. Many of the upper class men and women wanted to be able to learn how to polka so that they could show off at the clubs and the parties they attended.

In order to learn how to perform the polka with style and grace, many women and men from the ballet were offered large sums of money to teach these rich individuals in the privacy of their own home. Some of them were paid more for a few days of lessons than the ballet was paying them in an entire year to perform.

The polka has survived more than 100 years as being a very popular dance. Since people of all ages seem to enjoy it, this particular style of dance should be around for hundreds more. There are many great organizations out there that strive to keep the passion for the polka alive as well. They have memberships, organize events, and offer polka dance lessons. They also teach about the history of the dance so that it will never be forgotten.

One of the main reasons why they have fought so hard to preserve the polka though is that it is the last remaining dance still in motion from that era. Even though the polka didn’t originate in Poland, it is considered to be their National dance. The popularity of country music has definitely breathed new life into the polka. There are plenty of songs that this particular type of dancing is a perfect match for.