Viennese Waltz
Was watching Andre Rieu’s performance in Vienna with the Johann Strauss Orchestra and he mentioned about how the Viennese waltz was invented in the 19th century as a change to the usual minuets and polkas. However, it was banned by the church because it was too “intimate” as the bodies are touching, hands holding etc. It was “scandalous”. Even in England, the state banned it. But Strauss went to England and convinced Queen Victoria that it is an enjoyable dance.. and what do u know, the queen did enjoy it and she couldn’t stop dancing! haha.
But the Viennese Waltz should be differentiated from the other waltzes.
” What is now called the Viennese waltz is the original form of the waltz and the first ballroom dance in the closed hold or “waltz” position. The dance that is popularly known as the Waltz is actually the English or slow waltz, danced approximately at 90 beats per minute with 3 beats to the bar (the international standard of 30 measures per minute) while the Viennese Waltz is danced at about 180 beats (58-60 measures) a minute. To this day however, in Germany, Austria and France, the words “Walzer” (German for “waltz”) and “valse” (French for “waltz”) still implicitly refers to the original dance and not the slow waltz.
The Viennese Waltz is a rotary dance where the dancers are constantly turning either in a clockwise (natural) or anti-clockwise (reverse) direction interspersed with non-rotating change steps to switch between the direction of rotation. A true Viennese waltz consists only of turns and change steps. Other moves such as the fleckerls, American-style figures and side sway or underarm turns are modern inventions and are not normally danced at the annual balls in Vienna. 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.”
more from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Viennese_Waltz
It really is intense! I remember Manuel, an Austrian friend, teaching me one Sunday morning back in 2006. I got dizzy! Haha. But I know once you get the hang of it, it would be a fun dance :) Just imagine all those balls before with their big gowns. Like a fairytale!
Here’s a sample I found from youtube. I couldn’t find the usual ball setting (viennese waltz is a folk dance of Germany/Austria) so instead, a more modern approach to it - a competitive Viennese Waltz number. See them spin and be elegant at the same time!
PS: hate that yellow poofy things.
3 years ago
