10. Despite the disapproval of many, as First Lady she loved to dance in the White House – and even embraced a scandalous new dance trend
Even though she was First Lady, with all the responsibilities that entailed, Julia was still a young lady, still in her 20s. And, as such, she still liked to have fun. Above all, she loved to dance, even though her 50-something husband didn’t care for it. She used her status to host balls in the White House. However, Julia broke all protocol by not just hosting such events, but publicly dancing herself. What’s more, she loved to dance the polka, the trendiest dance of the time.
Many observers were shocked at the goings-on in the East Room of the White House. Following the trends of the time, Julia would dance the polka with visiting European dignitaries, getting uncomfortably close and personal with her partners. Far from toning it down, Julia courted the controversy. Indeed, she made her love of the ‘scandalous’ polka known, helping to promote the dance and make it popular across the United States. The leading musicians of the day even wrote tunes in her honor, known as ‘Julia Waltzes’.