HISTORY
Considered the mother of present day dances, the Waltz began in southern Germany in the seventeenth century and made its way from England to the United States. The popularity of the Waltz grew with the music of Johann Strauss and eventually blossomed in the 20th century. It is the basis for many dances and is popular today all over the world.
MUSIC
The Waltz is written in 3/4 time and has a slow to medium tempo with the musical accent occurring on the first beat of each measure. The basic count for Waltz is 1,2,3. Faster tempo Waltz is called Viennese Waltz. Here are some popular Waltz songs…
- Moon River- Andy Williams
- Are You Lonesome Tonight- Elvis Presley
- Take It To The Limit- Eagles
- Come Away With Me- Norah Jones
WHAT WALTZ TEACHES
Waltz teaches you how to use your feet and body to create all the smooth, graceful movements that makes Waltz so beautiful. As you can see from the clip from “Shall We Dance” it’s a wonderful dance to learn how a partnership works to make dancing look effortless.