The Waltz

What Is the Waltz?

The waltz is a ballroom dance in which a couple turns rhythmically around the dance floor using the waltz
box step, a series of six waltz dance steps that form the shape of a box. Composers commonly write
waltzes in a three-fourths time signature (which indicates how many beats are in each measure of a piece
of music, as well as which note value is counted as a beat).

The waltz is one of the most popular dances in ballroom dancing and one of the easiest of the ballroom
dance styles. It's considered a closed-position dance because the two dance partners hold each other while
facing each other. It’s also a common dance at weddings and other special occasions.

A Brief History of the Waltz

The waltz (derived from the German word walzen, meaning “to revolve”) can be traced back to thirteenth-
century Europe. Here’s a short history of the waltz:

• The Walzer dance emerges. Working-class people in the countryside in lower Germany and
Austria enjoyed a folk dance they called the Walzer, an early version of the waltz, in the middle of
the eighteenth century, possibly even earlier.
• The Ländler evolves the dance. Around the same time, the region was developing another
country dance, called the Ländler (sometimes also called the Schleifer), which follows the same foot
movement pattern as the waltz but adds more complicated arm movements by which the partners
turn each other around. This dance was popular in the eighteenth century and early nineteenth
century in Germany, especially Bavaria, as well as parts of Austria, including Vienna.
• Aristocrats adopt the waltz. Around the end of the eighteenth century and the beginning of the
nineteenth century, the waltz had incorporated elements of both the Walzer and the Ländler and
migrated from the social dances of peasants and servants to the homes of noblemen and
noblewomen in Austria and Germany, and even to high society events in Britain.
• Waltz music goes mainstream. In the nineteenth century, the waltz replaced the minuet, which
was formerly the most popular social dance, and became ubiquitous across European dance halls.
Composers created waltz music specifically for the dance: Some of the most famous musical
accompaniments include "The Blue Danube" by Austrian composer Johann Strauss and “Waltz of
the Flowers,” which Peter Tchaikovsky wrote for The Nutcracker ballet.

How to Waltz Dance: 6 Steps for the Lead Dancer

The ballroom dance requires two people: one leads and one follows. To begin, both dancers stand about a
foot apart facing each other. The lead dancer places their right hand on the follower's left shoulder and then
the dance begins.

1. 1. Step forward with your left foot. Stand with your feet hip distance apart and step forward with
the left foot while moving your body in the direction of your left foot.
2. 2. Move to your right. Move your right foot sideways to the right.
3. 3. Close your left foot to your right foot. Bring your left foot next to your right foot so your feet
are parallel and nearly touching.
4. 4. Step back with your right foot. Take a step back with your right foot.
5. 5. Move back and to your left. Take a single step with your left foot that moves you back and
sideways to the left.
6. 6. Close your right foot to your left foot. Move your right foot next to your left foot so your feet are
parallel and nearly touching.
How to Waltz Dance: 6 Steps for the Follower

To start, the follower faces their dance partner and places their left hand on the leader’s shoulder. The
follower then moves in the opposite direction of the lead.

1. 1. Step back with your right foot. Place your feet hip distance apart and step back with the right
foot, moving your body in the direction of your right foot.
2. 2. Move to your left. Move your left foot sideways to the left.
3. 3. Close your right foot to your left foot. Bring your right foot next to your left foot so your feet are
parallel and nearly touching.
4. 4. Step forward with your left foot. Take a step forward with your left foot.
5. 5. Move back and to your right. Take a single step with your right foot that moves you back and
sideways to the right.
6. 6. Close your left foot to your right foot. Move your left foot next to your right foot so your feet are
parallel and nearly touching

3 Popular Waltz Dance Styles

Dancers perform the waltz everywhere from royal courts to ballroom dance studios. Here are the most
popular waltzes:

1. 1. Viennese waltz: The Viennese-style waltz has basic box steps at a fast tempo and is the
quickest of the waltz varieties—clocking in at about 180 beats per minute. Dancers continuously
turn to the left and to the right while moving to the soundtrack of Strauss waltz music. There is less
rise-and-fall motion in this style of waltzing because of the pace.
2. 2. International style: International standard waltz is recognized as an international style ballroom
dance and is common in dance competitions. It’s danced to slow waltz music, about 84 to 90 beats
per minute and is a good waltz for beginners. It was previously referred to as the slow waltz.
3. 3. American style: The American waltz has more freeform dance moves than the other styles and
has a large variety of arm movements and foot patterns. Similar to the Viennese waltz, dancers
move counterclockwise around the dance floor. American style is a popular dance course among
those who seek out waltz dance lessons.

How to Waltz Basic Step – In Closed Dance Position with your Partner

1. Face each other and “The Leader” Places the right hand on “The Follower’s” left
shoulder blade. With the left hand “The Leader” also takes “The Follower’s” right hand,
keeping the elbow up at shoulder level.
2. “The Follower” puts their left hand on “The Leader’s” shoulder. While with the right
hand, “The Follower” also takes “The Leader’s” left hand making sure that their elbow
is up at shoulder level.

Basic Progressive

The basic progressive figure is like the Basic Box figure, but it is intended to assist you in moving
around the dance floor in the line of dance. LOD refer to the counterclockwise traffic flow around the dance
floor. This is the norm for any ballroom dance floor in the globe.

Rise and fall - is the constant altering of bodily elevation via the feet, ankles, and legs. Bending and
straightening the legs, as well as lifting and dropping the heels, are used to rise and fall. When dancing
Waltz, the raising and lowering motion is refereed to as rise and fall.

So, on beat 1, you’ll be lowered or have bended knees, push up with your legs through beats 2 and 3, and
then bend your knees again at the conclusion of beat 3.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fdStVuh56sY
Balance Steps

These are a method to keep dancing when there is nowhere else to go. Two sections of
Balance Steps; forward and backward balance steps, as well as side-to-side balance steos.

The Waltz Balance Step

(Starts and ends with man facing line of dance)

1 Man forward left (woman back right) making a quarter turn counter-clockwise (man faces center of
room)
2-3 Man points right foot forward (towards center); woman points left foot backward; no weight

1 Man back right (woman forward left) making a quarter turn counter-clockwise (man faces against line of
dance)
2-3 Man points left foot back (along line of dance); woman points right foot forward; no weight

1 Man forward left (woman back right) making a quarter turn counter-clockwise (man faces wall)
2-3 Man points right foot forward (towards wall); woman points left foot backward; no weight

1 Man back right (woman forward left) making a quarter turn counter-clockwise (man faces line of dance)
2-3 Man points left foot back (against line of dance); woman points right foot forward; no weight

This is an easy sequence to enter and exit and should be a cinch for anyone who can do quarter-
turns. Think "step-point..., step-point..., step-point..., step-point."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Box5mIkBi8

Waltz Fifth Position Balance Steps

These balance steps will be a little different from the previous ones because you will be changing
your weight on beats 2 and 3 and balancing on your toes. The toe of one foot points to the heel of the other
in the FIFTH FOOT POSITION.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m8L6ayo3b9E

Open Break with underarm Turn

An open break is a break or rock step taken while facing each other in the open stance, with
partners generally moving apart from each other.

The sequence of this figure is;

a. Half of a box
b. An open break
c. An underarm turn
d. A fifth position balance step
e. Finish with a box

Dance Floor Etiquette

Keeping these simple standards of etiquette in mind will guarantee you have a good time and are
perceived as nice when social dancing;

1. Ask your partner to dance and extend your hand, gentlemen. Then accompany her to the dance
floor.
2. In a social dance club, it is polite and acceptable for the lady to invite the man to dance.
3. After the dance, they thank each other, and the gentleman leads the woman to her seat.
4. On the dance floor, you should never correct or instruct your partner.
References:

https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-waltz-basic-steps-and-styles

https://www.kickery.com/2010/06/1930s-waltz-variations-the-waltz-balance-step.html