'Oberek' Polish Dance Ensemble Hobart is a vibrant community of Polish folk dancers based in and around Tasmania’s capital city. Oberek’s origins go back to 1952, when Polish migrants who had moved to Tasmania to build the state’s hydro-electric infrastructure established a Polish folk dance troupe which later came to be officially known as Oberek Polish Dance Ensemble.  

For more than seventy years Oberek has shared the richness and beauty of Polish cultural traditions with the greater Hobart community and the troupe has become a regular (and sought-after!) contributor to Hobart’s cultural life. Oberek showcases folkloric dances from many regions of Poland and has built up an extensive collection of costumes reflecting the unique traditions of the regions showcased in the troupe’s repertoire.  

Today Oberek comprises a junior and a senior group with nearly 30 dancers across the two groups. The troupe is supported by the Polish Association in Hobart and benefits from access to wonderful facilities in North Hobart’s Polish House. Supported by their families and the broader Polish community, Oberek is a close-knit multigenerational collective of people who love to come together to dance, sing, and celebrate Polish culture and heritage.