Viennese Waltz

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Viennese Waltz (German: Wiener Walzer ) is the name of a ballroom dance. At least three different meanings are recognized. In the historically first sense, the name may refer to several versions of the waltz, including the earliest waltzes done in ballroom dancing, dances to the music of Viennese Waltz.

In the English language, only proper nouns and proper adjectives are capitalized. The word "waltz" is not a proper noun in the English language when used in an article as this one. The correct spelling is "Viennese waltz" with "waltz" lower case. "Waltz" is only capitalized when it is the first word of a sentence or is part of the title of an article, book, song, etc.

What is now called Viennese waltz is the original form of the waltz and the first ballroom dance in the closed hold or "waltz" position. All other modern ballroom dances use this hold which was first danced as the waltz, now known as the Viennese waltz. The slower waltz, the dance that is in America and England now called "waltz," is actually the English or slow waltz, danced approximately at 90 beats per minute (30 bars or measures per minute; a bar or measure is three beats). To this day in Germany, Austria, and France, the words "walzer" (German for "waltz") and "valse" (French for "waltz") still mean the original version, danced at 150 to 180 beats per minute (50-60 bars or measures per minute; a bar or measure is three beats. 60 bars or measures per minute is the international standard). Also a true Viennese waltz consists only of turns and change steps to switch between right (natural) and left (reverse) turns. Other moves such as the fleckerls and the American-style moves are modern inventions and not normally danced at the annual balls in Vienna. Constant turning is a true Viennese waltz. Swaying from side to side or other moves such as underarm turns are not true Viennes waltz. Furthermore, in a properly danced Viennese waltz, couples do not pass, but turn continuously left and right while traveling counterclockwise around the floor following each other.

The tango also went through a similar evolution. What most people call "tango" is actually International- or American-style ballroom tango. The original version of the tango is called "Argentine tango," although in Argentina and other Latin American countries, it is known simply as "tango." Similarly the dance known as the waltz in Vienna means one thing, the original waltz or what Americans, Brits, and others call Viennese waltz.

As the Waltz evolved, some of the versions that were done at about the original fast tempo of ballroom waltzes came to be called specifically "Viennese Waltz" to distinguish them from the slower waltzes. In the modern ballroom dance, two versions of Viennese Waltz are recognized: International Style and American Style.

Today the Viennese Waltz is a ballroom and partner dance that is part of the International Standard division of contemporary ballroom dance.

History

The Viennese Waltz, so called to distinguish it from the Waltz and the French Waltz, is the oldest of all ballroom dances. It emerged in the second half of the 18th century from the German dance and the Ländler in Austria and in the beginning was disapproved-of on account of its "lasciviousness", e.g. because the ladies' ankles were visible. Later it gained official acceptance and even popularity due to the Congress of Vienna at the beginning of the 19th century and the famous compositions by Josef Lanner, Johann Strauss I and his son, Johann Strauss II.

In the 1920s in Germany the Viennese Waltz became outdated as more modern and dynamic dances emerged. In England the Viennese Waltz acclimatized, there Boston and later Waltz were preferred.

At the beginning of the 1930s the Viennese Waltz had its comeback as a folk dance in Germany and Austria. The former military officer Karl von Mirkowitsch made it acceptable both for society and ballroom, since 1932 the Viennese Waltz has been present on ballroom dance floors. In 1951 Paul Krebs, a dance teacher from Nürnberg, combined the traditional Austrian Waltz with the English style of waltzing and had great success at the dance festival in Blackpool in the same year. Since then the Viennese Waltz is considered a full privilege member of the International Standard ballroom dances; in 1963 it was added to the Welttanzprogramm which is the fundament of European dancing schools.

The Viennese Waltz has always been symbol of political and public sentiments. It was called the "Marseillaise of the heart" (Eduard Hanslick, a critic from Vienna in the past century) and was supposed to "have saved Vienna the revolution" (sentence of a biographer of the composer Johann Strauß), while Johann Strauß himself was called the "Napoleon Autrichien" (Heinrich Laube, poet from the north of Germany).

Technique and styles

Musical Form

• Fast triple time (usually 3/4 time) - as opposed to typical waltzes which can be between 60-80 beats per minute, Viennese Waltz music (such as the well-known "On the Beautiful Blue Danube" by Johann Strauss Junior) is typically in the range of 120-180 bpm.
• Slow harmonic pace - same chord is used throughout a whole bar and usually repeated for several bars.
• Simple Harmonies - occasionally uses chromatic or dissonant appoggiaturas.
• Homophonic texture
• "Um-Cha-Cha" accompaniment - bass note on first beat then other notes on second and third.
• Ternary form ABA style - Waltz 1-Waltz 2-Waltz 1

International Style Viennese Waltz

International Style Viennese Waltz is danced in closed position. The syllabus is limited to Natural and Reverse Turns, Changes, Fleckerls, Contra Check, Left Whisk, and canter-time Pivots.

American Style Viennese Waltz

American Style Viennese Waltz has much more freedom, both in dance positions and syllabus.

See also

• Austrian folk dancing