PE2ModernBallroomDance

VienneseWaltz

Introduction
According to Donald Daniel, the Viennese Waltz, also known as the
Vienna Waltz, the rotary waltz, and in Vienna, as the Wiener Walzer,
refers to the classic, old, original waltz. Dating back to the middle of
the 18th century, it is basically both a competition ballroom dance and
a social ballroom dance that involves a waltzing couple rotating around
each other as they fly gracefully around the room. Originally, before the
first World War, all waltz referred to the fast, original waltz. However,
after the war, the term waltz slowly changed its meaning among
competition ballroom dancers to the slow version that originated from
Boston. Hence, the fast waltz came to be known as the Viennese Waltz
afterthecityitoriginatedfrom.

AdaptationbeyondEurope
The waltz is said to have spread from Germany to Paris through
Napoleons invading soldiers. After spreading to different parts of
Europe, the waltz was brought to the United States, particularly to New
York and Philadelphia, and established in American society by the 19th
century. It is likely that the Viennese waltz was brought to the
Philippines upon American colonization, which was a major force of
culturalinfluenceinthecountry.

Music
Viennese waltz normally uses fast music with or 6/8 time
per meter and has a tempo of 162 beats per minute. Steps are
counted with the rhythm of 123 123 123, putting stress on 1.
Austrian composers Lanner and Strauss were responsible for
instigating the fast tempo. Upon adaptation in the United States, the
waltz tempo was decreased and so, long gliding steps were
incorporatedalongwithfewer,slowerturns.

DanceSteps
Overall, the Viennese Waltz is a rotary dance where the
dancers are constantly turning either in a clockwise (natural) or
anticlockwise (reverse) direction interspersed with nonrotating
change steps to switch between the direction of rotation. A true
Viennese waltz consists only of turns and change steps. Furthermore,
in a properly danced Viennese Waltz, couples do not pass, but turn
continuously left and right while travelling counterclockwise around
the floor following each other. (Wikipedia, 2013) Note that the dance
involves the adaptation of the closed position this involves partners
facing each other. The leader's right hand is on the follower's back,
the follower's left hand is on the leader's right shoulder, or the upper
armneartheshoulder,andtheothertwohandsareclaspedtogether.

References
http://www.ballroomdancers.com/Dances/dance_overview.asp?Dance=AVW
http://www.resort.com/~banshee/Info/Waltz/
http://www.dancelovers.com/waltz_history.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Viennese_Waltz
http://waltzballs.org/vw.html