The waltz ( ), meaning "to roll or revolve") is a
ballroom and
folk dance, normally in triple (
time), performed primarily in
closed position
In partner dancing, closed position is a category of positions in which partners hold each other while facing at least approximately toward each other.
Closed positions employ either body contact or body support, that is, holding each other is ...
.
History
There are many references to a sliding or gliding dance that would evolve into the waltz that date from 16th-century Europe, including the representations of the
printmaker Hans Sebald Beham
Sebald Beham (1500–1550) was a German painter and printmaker, mainly known for his very small engravings. Born in Nuremberg, he spent the later part of his career in Frankfurt. He was one of the most important of the " Little Masters", the group ...
. The French philosopher
Michel de Montaigne wrote of a dance he saw in 1580 in
Augsburg
Augsburg (; bar , Augschburg , links=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swabian_German , label=Swabian German, , ) is a city in Swabia, Bavaria, Germany, around west of Bavarian capital Munich. It is a university town and regional seat of the ...
, where the dancers held each other so closely that their faces touched. Kunz Haas (of approximately the same period) wrote, "Now they are dancing the godless ''Weller'' or ''Spinner''."
[Nettl, Paul. "Birth of the Waltz." In ''Dance Index'' vol 5, no. 9. 1946 New York: Dance Index-Ballet Caravan, Inc. pages 208, 211] "The vigorous peasant dancer, following an instinctive knowledge of the weight of fall, uses his surplus energy to press all his strength into the proper beat of the bar, thus intensifying his personal enjoyment in dancing."
Around 1750, the lower classes in the regions of
Bavaria
Bavaria ( ; ), officially the Free State of Bavaria (german: Freistaat Bayern, link=no ), is a state in the south-east of Germany. With an area of , Bavaria is the largest German state by land area, comprising roughly a fifth of the total lan ...
,
Tyrol
Tyrol (; historically the Tyrole; de-AT, Tirol ; it, Tirolo) is a historical region in the Alps - in Northern Italy and western Austria. The area was historically the core of the County of Tyrol, part of the Holy Roman Empire, Austrian Emp ...
, and
Styria began dancing a couples dance called ''Walzer''. The ''
Ländler
The Ländler () is a folk dance in time which was popular in Austria, Bavaria, German Switzerland, and Slovenia at the end of the 18th century.
It is a partner dance which strongly features hopping and stamping. It might be purely instrument ...
'', also known as the ''Schleifer'', a country dance in time, was popular in
Bohemia,
Austria
Austria, , bar, Östareich officially the Republic of Austria, is a country in the southern part of Central Europe, lying in the Eastern Alps. It is a federation of nine states, one of which is the capital, Vienna, the most populous ...
, and Bavaria, and spread from the countryside to the suburbs of the city. While the eighteenth-century upper classes continued to dance the
minuets
A minuet (; also spelled menuet) is a social dance of French origin for two people, usually in time. The English word was adapted from the Italian ''minuetto'' and the French ''menuet''.
The term also describes the musical form that accompa ...
(such as those by
Mozart,
Haydn
Franz Joseph Haydn ( , ; 31 March 173231 May 1809) was an Austrian composer of the Classical period. He was instrumental in the development of chamber music such as the string quartet and piano trio. His contributions to musical form have led ...
and
Handel), bored noblemen slipped away to the balls of their servants.
In the 1771 German novel ''Geschichte des Fräuleins von Sternheim'' by
Sophie von La Roche
Marie Sophie von La Roche (née Gutermann von Gutershofen; 6 December 1730 – 18 February 1807) was a German novelist. She is considered the first financially independent female professional writer in Germany.
Biography
Sophie von La Roche was ...
, a high-minded character complains about the newly introduced waltz among aristocrats thus: "But when he put his arm around her, pressed her to his breast, cavorted with her in the shameless, indecent whirling-dance of the Germans and engaged in a familiarity that broke all the bounds of good breeding—then my silent misery turned into burning rage."
Describing life in
Vienna
en, Viennese
, iso_code = AT-9
, registration_plate = W
, postal_code_type = Postal code
, postal_code =
, timezone = CET
, utc_offset = +1
, timezone_DST ...
(dated at either 1776 or 1786
), Don Curzio wrote, "The people were dancing mad ... The ladies of Vienna are particularly celebrated for their grace and movements of waltzing of which they never tire." There is a waltz in the second act finale of the 1786 opera ''Una Cosa Rara'' by
Martin y Soler Martin may refer to:
Places
* Martin City (disambiguation)
* Martin County (disambiguation)
* Martin Township (disambiguation)
Antarctica
* Martin Peninsula, Marie Byrd Land
* Port Martin, Adelie Land
* Point Martin, South Orkney Islands
Aust ...
. Soler's waltz was marked ''andante con moto'', or "at a walking pace with motion", but the flow of the dance was sped-up in Vienna leading to the ''Geschwindwalzer'', and the ''Galloppwalzer''.
In the 19th century, the word primarily indicated that the dance was a turning one; one would "waltz" in the
polka to indicate rotating rather than going straight forward without turning.
Shocking many when it was first introduced, the waltz became fashionable in
Vienna
en, Viennese
, iso_code = AT-9
, registration_plate = W
, postal_code_type = Postal code
, postal_code =
, timezone = CET
, utc_offset = +1
, timezone_DST ...
around the 1780s, spreading to many other countries in the years to follow. According to contemporary singer Michael Kelly, it reached England in 1791. During the
Napoleonic Wars
The Napoleonic Wars (1803–1815) were a series of major global conflicts pitting the French Empire and its allies, led by Napoleon I, against a fluctuating array of European states formed into various coalitions. It produced a period of Fren ...
, infantry soldiers of the
King's German Legion introduced the dance to the people of Bexhill, Sussex, from 1804.
It became fashionable in
Britain
Britain most often refers to:
* The United Kingdom, a sovereign state in Europe comprising the island of Great Britain, the north-eastern part of the island of Ireland and many smaller islands
* Great Britain, the largest island in the United King ...
during the
Regency period
The Regency era of British history officially spanned the years 1811 to 1820, though the term is commonly applied to the longer period between and 1837. King George III succumbed to mental illness in late 1810 and, by the Regency Act 1811, h ...
, having been made respectable by the endorsement of
Dorothea Lieven
Princess Katharina Alexandra Dorothea von Lieven (russian: Дарья Христофоровна Ливен, tr. ), née Freiin von Benckendorff, 17 December 1785 – 27 January 1857), was a Baltic German noblewoman and the wife of Prin ...
, wife of the Russian ambassador.
Diarist
Thomas Raikes
Thomas Raikes ("the Elder") (28 March 1741 – 29 December 1813) was a British merchant particularly trading from London with Russia, a banker and newspaper proprietor. Notably, he was Governor of the Bank of England during the 1797 currency c ...
later recounted that "No event ever produced so great a sensation in English society as the introduction of the waltz in 1813."
In the same year, a sardonic tribute to the dance by Lord Byron was anonymously published (written the previous autumn).
Influential dance master and author of instruction manuals, Thomas Wilson published ''A Description of the Correct Method of Waltzing'' in 1816.
Almack's
Almack's was the name of a number of establishments and social clubs in London between the 18th and 20th centuries. Two of the social clubs would go on to fame as Brooks's and Boodle's. Almack's most famous establishment was based in assembly roo ...
, the most exclusive club in London, permitted the waltz, though the entry in the ''
Oxford English Dictionary
The ''Oxford English Dictionary'' (''OED'') is the first and foundational historical dictionary of the English language, published by Oxford University Press (OUP). It traces the historical development of the English language, providing a co ...
'' shows that it was considered "riotous and indecent" as late as 1825. In ''
The Tenant of Wildfell Hall
''The Tenant of Wildfell Hall'' is the second and final novel written by English author Anne Brontë. It was first published in 1848 under the pseudonym Acton Bell. Probably the most shocking of the Brontës' novels, it had an instant and phe ...
'', by
Anne Brontë
Anne Brontë (, commonly ; 17 January 1820 – 28 May 1849) was an English novelist and poet, and the youngest member of the Brontë literary family.
Anne Brontë was the daughter of Maria (born Branwell) and Patrick Brontë, a poor Irish cl ...
, in a scene set in 1827, the local vicar Reverend Milward tolerates quadrilles and country dances but intervenes decisively when a waltz is called for, declaring "No, no, I don't allow that! Come, it's time to be going home."
The waltz, especially its closed position, became the example for the creation of many other ballroom dances. Subsequently, new types of waltz have developed, including many folk and several ballroom dances.
Variants
![La Valse](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a1/La_Valse.jpg)
In the 19th and early 20th century, numerous different waltz forms existed, including versions performed in , or (sauteuse), and time ( waltz, half and half).
In the 1910s, a form called the Hesitation Waltz was introduced by
Vernon and Irene Castle
Vernon and Irene Castle were a husband-and-wife team of ballroom dancers and dance teachers who appeared on Broadway and in silent films in the early 20th century. They are credited with reviving the popularity of modern dancing. Castle was a st ...
.
It incorporated "hesitations" and was danced to fast music. A hesitation is basically a halt on the standing foot during the full waltz bar, with the moving foot suspended in the air or slowly dragged. Similar figures (
Hesitation Change,
Drag Hesitation, and
Cross Hesitation
A cross is a geometrical figure consisting of two intersecting lines or bars, usually perpendicular to each other. The lines usually run vertically and horizontally. A cross of oblique lines, in the shape of the Latin letter X, is termed a sa ...
) are incorporated in the
International Standard Waltz Syllabus.
The Country Western Waltz is mostly progressive, moving counter clock wise around the dance floor. Both the posture and frame are relaxed, with posture bordering on a slouch. The exaggerated hand and arm gestures of some ballroom styles are not part of this style. Couples may frequently dance in the
promenade position
The promenade position (abbreviated as PP in dance diagrams) is a dance position in ballroom and other dances. It is described differently in various dance categories.
Connection
The promenade position is a "V" shaped dance position with the man' ...
, depending on local preferences. Within Country Western waltz, there is the Spanish Waltz and the more modern (for the late 1930s- early 1950s) Pursuit Waltz. At one time it was considered ill treatment for a man to make the woman walk backwards in some locations.
In California, the waltz was banned by Mission priests until 1834 because of the "closed" dance position.
Thereafter a Spanish Waltz was danced. This Spanish Waltz was a combination of dancing around the room in closed position, and a "formation" dance of two couples facing each other and performing a sequence of steps.
"Valse a Trois Temps" was the "earliest" waltz step, and the Rye Waltz was preferred as a couple dance.
* In contemporary
ballroom dance, the fast versions of the waltz are called
Viennese waltz
Viennese waltz (german: Wiener Walzer) is a genre of ballroom dance. At least four 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 b ...
as opposed to the
Slow waltz
Waltz is one of the five dances in the Standard (or Modern) category of the Glossary of partner dance terms#International Standard, International Style ballroom dances. It was previously referred to as slow waltz or English waltz.
Waltz is usually ...
.
* In
traditional Irish music
Irish traditional music (also known as Irish trad, Irish folk music, and other variants) is a genre of folk music that developed in Ireland.
In ''A History of Irish Music'' (1905), W. H. Grattan Flood wrote that, in Gaelic Ireland, there we ...
, the waltz was taught by travelling dancing masters to those who could afford their lessons during the 19th century. By the end of that century, the dance spread to the middle and lower classes of Irish society and traditional triple-tune tunes and songs were altered to fit the waltz rhythm. During the 20th century, the waltz found a distinctively Irish playing style in the hands of
Céilidh musicians at
dances
Dance is a performing art form consisting of sequences of movement, either improvised or purposefully selected. This movement has aesthetic and often symbolic value. Dance can be categorized and described by its choreography, by its reperto ...
.
*
International Standard Waltz has only closed figures; that is, the couple never breaks the embrace.
* The
American Style Waltz, part of the
American Smooth
This is a list of dance terms that are not names of dances or types of dances. See List of dances and List of dance style categories for those.
This glossary lists terms used in various types of ballroom partner dances, leaving out terms of highly ...
ballroom dance syllabus, in contrast to the
International Standard Waltz, involves breaking contact almost entirely in some figures. For example, the Syncopated Side-by-Side with Spin includes a free spin for both partners. Open rolls are another good example of an
open dance figure, in which the follower alternates between the lead's left and right sides, with the lead's left or right arm (alone) providing the lead. Waltzes were the staple of many American musicals and films, including "Waltz in Swing Time" sung by
Fred Astaire
Fred Astaire (born Frederick Austerlitz; May 10, 1899 – June 22, 1987) was an American dancer, choreographer, actor, and singer. He is often called the greatest dancer in Hollywood film history.
Astaire's career in stage, film, and tele ...
.
* The Scandinavian Waltz, performed as a part of
Scandinavian folk dance, can be fast or slow, but the dancers are always rotating.
*The
Peruvian Waltz
The vals criollo ( en, Creole waltz), or Peruvian waltz ( es, vals peruano), is an adaptation of the European waltz brought to the Americas during colonial times by Spain. In the Viceroyalty of Peru, the waltz was gradually adapted to the likings ...
is called and recognised in Peru as ''vals criollo''.
* The
Mexican Waltz (''vals mexicano'') follows the same basic rhythmic pattern as the standard waltz, but the melodies reflect a strong Spanish influence. Mexico's
Juventino Rosas
José Juventino Policarpo Rosas Cadenas (25 January 18689 July 1894) was a Mexican composer and violinist.
Life and career
Rosas was born in Santa Cruz, Guanajuato, later renamed Santa Cruz de Galeana, Guanajuato, and still later into Santa Cru ...
wrote "
Sobre las Olas" or "Over the Waves”.
* The
Cajun Waltz is danced progressively around the floor, and is characterised by the subtle swaying of the hips and step very close to ordinary walking. It is danced entirely in the closed position.
* The Cuban (or Tropical) Waltz follows the pattern of the standard waltz throughout the song.
* The
Venezuelan waltz
The Venezuelan waltz is a hall dance and accompanying musical genre that was popularized in 19th-century Venezuela.
The two main types of waltz were the hall waltz and the popular waltz. The former was typically performed on piano. Key musicia ...
provided a basis for distinctive regional musical composition.
* The Contra Waltz (Freeform Waltz), included in most
contra dance
Contra dance (also contradance, contra-dance and other variant spellings) is a form of folk dancing made up of long lines of couples.
It has mixed origins from English country dance, Scottish country dance, and French dance styles in the 17th ...
evenings, uses both open and closed positions, and incorporates moves from other dances such as
swing,
modern jive
Modern Jive is a dance style derived from swing, Lindy Hop, rock and roll, salsa and others, the main difference being the simplification of footwork by removing syncopation such as chasse. The term "French Jive" is occasionally used instead, ref ...
and
salsa
Salsa most often refers to:
* Salsa (Mexican cuisine), a variety of sauces used as condiments
* Salsa music, a popular style of Latin American music
* Salsa (dance), a Latin dance associated with Salsa music
Salsa or SALSA may also refer to:
...
. Basically the dancers progress around the dance floor with a waltz step, but with no constraints on what moves they can use.
* The
Valse Musette, a form of waltz popular in France, started in the late 19th century.
* The
cross-step waltz
Cross-step waltz (originally, the French Valse Boston) is a social ballroom dance in time, performed primarily in closed position, to slower tempo waltz music (around 110 to 120 beats per minute). It is characterized by a " primary cross-step" w ...
(French Valse Boston) developed in France in the early 20th century and is popular in social waltz groups today.
* In folk dance from the
Alsace
Alsace (, ; ; Low Alemannic German/ gsw-FR, Elsàss ; german: Elsass ; la, Alsatia) is a cultural region and a territorial collectivity in eastern France, on the west bank of the upper Rhine next to Germany and Switzerland. In 2020, it had ...
region, waltzes in odd metres such as , and are found. In modern
bal folk
BalFolk is a dance event for folk dance and folk music in a number of European countries, mainly in France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany, Italy and Poland. It is also known as ''folk bal''.
History
Dancing to folk music has been gaining ...
, waltzes in even higher metres are played and danced.
*
Estonia
Estonia, formally the Republic of Estonia, is a country by the Baltic Sea in Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland across from Finland, to the west by the sea across from Sweden, to the south by Latvia, a ...
n folk dance
Labajalavalss (flat of the foot waltz) performed in time.
Today both the faster Viennese Waltz, made forever popular by the Strauss family, and the slower American and International style waltzes are extremely popular with dancers of all ages.
*
Sama'i
''Sama'i'' (also known as ''usul semai'') is a vocal piece of Ottoman Turkish music composed in 6/8 meter. This form and meter ('' usul'' in Turkish) is often confused with the completely different '' Saz Semaisi'', an instrumental form consisting ...
(also known as usul semai) is a vocal piece of Ottoman Turkish music composed in 6/8 metres. This form and metre (usul in Turkish) is often confused with the completely different Saz Semaisi, an instrumental form consisting of three to four sections, in 10/8 metre, or usul aksak semai (broken semai in Turkish). Semai is one of the most important forms in Ottoman Turkish Sufi music.
*The Tsamikos ( el, Τσάμικος, ''Tsamikos'') or Kleftikos ( el, Κλέφτικος) is a popular traditional
folk dance of
Greece
Greece,, or , romanized: ', officially the Hellenic Republic, is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the southern tip of the Balkans, and is located at the crossroads of Europe, Asia, and Africa. Greece shares land borders ...
, done to music of
metre.
References
External links
Waltz basic stepsMusic regarding: Waltz within traditional dances of the County of Nice (France)Scroll to "Five Step Waltz" for notes about probable 1847 origin and associated music published the same year.Thomas Wilson's 1816 Waltz Manual (1877 Book critical of the Waltz)
The Regency WaltzWaltzes under CreativeCommons licence on BalLibre.orgWedding Waltz
{{Music of Ireland
Austrian folk dances
German folk dances
Triple time dances
Articles containing video clips
Forms of Ottoman classical music
Greek folk music
Greek dances