The Secret Polka Step

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About 50% of all social dances can use the polka step instead of whatever they say is the right step. Lindy Hop, West Coast Swing,  East Coast Swing, Cha Cha. Basically it’s the triple-step without the rock step. The rock step usually costs a dancer about $1000 in dancing lessons to figure out. The old Intermediate syndrome. Term was invented by dance instructors. You either do it perfect, one piece at a time, or . . . . . you are an eternal intermediate. Frame is an example, balance is another, and mastering the Polka step by itself will free up all your thinking and let you focus on getting frame and upper body stuff perfected.

Now, the second you mention Polka everyone visualizes a couple careening around the dance floor while spinning clockwise with leather hosen and Swiss Alp hats. Beer barrel polka and so on. But the Polka is really just a double triple step. The Samba is the same thing, but you don’t turn. You can turn in either direction or go forward and back or hold hands and both face forward. You get the picture. I also heard that the “Dixieland 2 Step” is also the same as the Polka, but I can’t say for sure because it was Martin Rhoe who said that and he doesn’t teach anymore and so I can’t find him to have him show me.

Anyway, you get the Polka step down and you get the Cajun or Hippie Suffle down and you’ll have all you need to go on one of those ocean cruises where there is dancing in the lounge.

Polka is kinda hard on the knees, so be careful. Maybe that is why they invented the rock stop. Either that or a conspiracy of dance instructors wanted to figure out a way of making the circle lopsided so students wouldn’t get it first time or two . . . .thousand.

There is a dance in Europe called the “Boogie Woogie”. I swear it is the Lindy Hop done to Polka.

Here is how you count the Polka:
1-2-3 and 1-2-3 and

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