The tempo is considered fast, typically around 190 beats per minute. When you're listening to the music, get used to the counts. Find and call out the beats 1-2-3-1-2-3 when listening to music. These are the counts that the dancer will step on. There is a silent 4th beat for the dancer, meaning that you do not move for that count. This is a very brief period of time when done to music.
The basic steps in Polka are continuous "triple steps." The triple step is a step-close-step, danced around a large perimeter of the dance floor called the "line of dance," which is a counter-clockwise movement across the dance floor.
The couple can rotate while dancing, as long as they travel across the line of dance as a whole.
If you have never danced before, practice hopping on one foot and then the other. Then practice skipping. These are good polka warm-ups that can help you understand the bouncy feeling of the dance. This can also help you feel the transfer of your weight.
Understand the lead's dance steps. The woman's part is a mirror image of his steps.
On count 1, step sideways and have pressure and most weight on the left foot. On count 2, bring your right foot to your left. The transfer between counts 2-3 requires a hop during the movement. On count 3-4, pressure is on your left foot and your legs are apart. You have completed a triple step to your left.
On the next count 1, pressure is transferred to the right foot. On count 2, your left foot is brought together next to your right.The transfer between 2-3 requires a hop during the movement. On count 3-4, pressure is transferred to right foot. Repeat throughout the entire dance.
A simple way to think of this is that you are doing a triple step to the left and a triple step to the right. The triple step means that you are transferring your weight 3 times. Another way to think of it is step-close-step, step-close-step. In the first step-close-step, you are moving left, leading with your left foot. In the second step-close-step, you are moving right, leading with your right foot. Work on the step-close-step. After getting used to this dance step, implement the bouncing method that you practiced in your hopping and skipping exercise. As a result, you have the polka.