The Waltz evolved from the German and Austrian peasant dance called the Ländler and became fashionable in the suburbs of Vienna around the 1780s, spreading to many other countries in the years to follow. Johann Strauss wrote the first waltz music. Danced in 3/4 time, the dance is characterized by a step, slide, step. The movements are soft, round, and flowing. Characterized by rise and fall and sway within the dance, the feet stay in contact with the floor, creating a gliding movement. The waltz is graceful and has a romantic or melancholy feel. Coming from the German word walzen, “to revolve,” the dance generally travels with rotations down the dancefloor in a closed frame.
The Waltz evolved from the German and Austrian peasant dance called the Ländler and became fashionable in the suburbs of Vienna around the 1780s, spreading to many other countries in the years to follow.
Johann Strauss wrote the first waltz music. Danced in 3/4 time, the dance is characterized by a step, slide, step. The movements are soft, round, and flowing. Characterized by rise and fall and sway within the dance, the feet stay in contact with the floor, creating a gliding movement. The waltz is graceful and has a romantic or melancholy feel. Coming from the German word walzen, “to revolve,” the dance generally travels with rotations down the dancefloor in a closed frame.
The introduction of the closed frame required close physical contact between 2 people rather than the communal dances between 4 or 8 people of the time. Because of the close physical contact, it was regarded by religious leaders as vulgar and sinful. It was such a cultural shift that some people were even threatened to death for doing the waltz.
Napolean’s army contributed to the spread of waltz across Continental Europe from Germany to Paris. The dance later reached England in 1815 and then finally made it across the Atlantic to the U.S. by the mid nineteenth century, the waltz then became well-established in Unites States high society.
There are two forms of Waltz, International Style and American Style. International Style adheres to the rotary roots of the dance while American Style opens up some of the dance patterns and deviates from closed hold.
Today waltz is a traditional wedding dance as well as danced at black tie affairs. It is danced socially and competitively.
