Waltz

The sway, rise, and fall of the dance differentiate the waltz from other ballroom dances. A soft, gentle, and romantic dance with long sweeping movements, turning partners, and stylish poses, the waltz is a dance that demands attention from the audience.

The waltz is a graceful, rolling dance set to strong melodies with a reputation for being prominent among high society. However, it originated with more modest roots. A staple of the Hapsburg court in the seventeenth century, peasants in Austria and Bavaria originally danced waltzes to simple yodeling melodies. By the eighteenth century, the waltz crossed the border into France, where it was embraced by high society.

Set to lively and strong three-quarter time music with a strong accent on the first beat and a basic pattern of step-step-close, the waltz has remained a popular formal dance for over four hundred years.

The waltz was originally criticized on moral grounds, due to its closer hold and rapid turning movements. Religious leaders almost unanimously regarded it as sinful and vulgar. In the European courts and in Britain, the waltz was accepted very slowly due to its negative reputation. However, the struggle against the waltz only served to increase its popularity.

Music plays a vastly important role in the dance. The original standard for the Viennese Waltz was a very fast-paced dance, while the Boston modification was a much slower waltz with long gliding steps. Today, what is most popular in ballroom competitions is called "the International style", which is characterized by a slow waltz and a closely held partner position. The other popular variety is the hesitation style, where one step is taken for three beats of measure, thereby the performers act as if hesitating as they dance.

Waltz music has been written in 2/4, 6/8, and 5/4 time, but the standard remains the 3/4 beat. The 1-2-3 count of the music traditionally has only one chord per measure. Even contemporary composers have been inspired by the waltz. Ben Folds wrote “Lullabye” in a waltz style, while Brian Wilson wrote several waltz-style songs for the Beach Boys.

Today, the waltz is danced in all areas of the world. The dance is acclaimed in Asia, Australia, America, Canada, and South America as a favorite dance. The waltz can be seen today in ballroom dance competitions in both the International form and the Viennese form, though the International form is most common. The beauty and grace of the waltz, along with its long-standing popularity, is hard to match.

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Originator: 

Hapsburg Court 

Region of origin: 

Germany, Austria 

Popularized by: 

European High Society, Austrian and Bavarian (German) Peasants