Smetana was a virtuoso pianist and he composed more pieces for the instrument than for any other. After taking a break from piano composition for more than a decade, Smetana returned to the instrument in 1875 with Rêves. Composed in 1879, Smetana's second book of Ceské tance (Czech Dances) was published the same year, as was his first volume of dances, which were written in 1877. All of these dances were composed after Smetana had become deaf.

Now a much older composer, Smetana took a different approach to dance music, writing in a more pensive vein. Smetana decided to give titles to the pieces in Volume II, in part because of Dvorák's Slavonic Dances, published in 1878. Smetana found Dvorák's title unfortunate, because, "no one knows which particular dance forms they are, or if they really exist." Thus, for the newer Czech Dances Smetana intended to "show the special names we Czechs give our national dances...." Also, he found inspiration and genuine folk material through a violinist and teacher in Jabkenice named Suchý. Five of the ten pieces are based on folk songs Smetana found in National Songs of the Czechs, by K.J. Erben. These pieces have titles from the first lines of the song from which the melodies are drawn. The pieces represent various Czech dances, including ones for individuals and others for different combinations of men and women.

Smetana's second volume of Czech Dances contains ten pieces: The first, "Furiant" is a lively peasant dance in triple meter that resembles the dance in Act II of The Bartered Bride, which is based on a popular song, "Sedlák, sedlák." No. 2, "Slepicka" (little hen), in A minor, is similar to a polka and boasts a flashy trio.

No. 3, "Oves" (oats), is developed from only five measures of a folk song tune. Moderately paced, the melody is built around a rapid turning figure on the second beat of the 3/4 measure. The fourth piece, "Medved" (the bear), is in B flat major and is a dance known as the "bavorák." The changing meters and heavy tread in the left hand reflect the song text, in which a girl tells her boyfriend he moves like a bear. It features a bucolic middle section evoking the sound of Czech bagpipes.

No. 5, "Cibulicka" (little onion), is based on a very popular folk song. In moderate tempo, the melody is always clear. In No. 6, "Dupák," the folk song-like bagpipe melody is actually by Smetana. A dupák is a stamping dance in duple meter and Smetana's example, filled with animated, dizzying energy, is a scherzo-polka with difficult octaves.

Smetana changes the pace with No. 7, "Hulán" (the lancer), a reflective piece with virtuoso flourishes. No. 8, "Obkrocák," is a duple-meter dance in which Smetana contrasts two melodies, possibly representing two girls. No. 9, "Sousedská," is moderately paced and waltz-like and is fueled by chordal repetition, both literal and sequential. The final dance, "Skocná," is another duple-meter stamping dance, with three-measure phrases and a joyous atmosphere.

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