The Group was formally set up on the 17th of April 1970 when the Rector of the Academy of that time professor Stefan Wołoszyn gave his approval to the project on starting up an artistic group. The initiators of setting up of The Group were Maria Młodzikowska, Ph.D., and Ryszard Teperek, Ph.D., who prepared the program of the first performance of The Group, which was presented in the Academy as early as on 29th of April 1970. Furthermore, they were the authors of the dance compositions that were presented during the first two years of the activity of The Group, and they constituted also its instructing-pedagogical staff.
In a very short period of time the dancers from Bielany gained the recognition of the circle, participating in many national reviews. Gradually the repertoire developed and the number of costumes grew.
In the history of The Group the meaningful date was 1974 when Czesław Sroka, Ph.D. (1933-2000) engaged himself in the Group’s work. Together with Ryszard Teperek, Ph.D., he prepared new dance compositions, which were elaborated musically by Jan Grabia, MA. These compositions are included in the present repertoire of The Group, and some of them are described as one of the best in the country.
Since 1970 1200 people have contributed to the works of the Group. The output of the Group’s activity include the performance of around 1300 concerts in Poland and 49 artistic tours to 24 countries on 4 continents. The Folk Dance Group "Warszawa" of the University of Physical Education participated in many international folk festivals, and was awarded a number of precious awards and prizes.
The natural extension of the Group’s activity is the work of its alumni. Many of the former dancers set up now their own folk groups and conduct classes of folk dances with great success. A large number of physical education teachers - graduates of the University of Physical Education and former dancers of the Group – introduce new and diversified dancing forms and folk themes into their schools, thus cultivating the national tradition and passing the riches of the cultural heritage of our country to younger generations.