A Brief History Of Waltz

Characterized by elegance, fluid and floating movements, waltz is the oldest of all the partnered dances. Today, it's spread throughout the world and very commonly danced at weddings. In this article we'll take a look at some historical facts about waltz. The word waltz comes from the German language. Waltzen means to roll, to turn, or to glide. Waltz is a turning dance, so it's a very appropriate name. Before making its way into the Hapsburg courts, waltz was a folk dance of Austria and Bavaria. In the 17th century it became very popular among young aristocracy. It was something new and exciting. But because it was a couple dance that allowed close contact, it was quickly deemed immoral and banned in some areas. This, of course, didn't stop it. We all know that forbidden fruits are the sweetest. By the end of the 18th century, waltz conquered all of Europe and soon after, the rest of the world. Mozart was a huge fan of it. Great Austrian composers of the nineteenth Century, such as Franz Lanner, Johann Strauss Senior and Junior helped enormously to popularize waltz. Johann Strauss Jr. was known as "The Waltz King". The Blue Danube is his best known work. When waltz became popular in the United States in the 1830s, it developed into a slower style, known as the Boston waltz. The original waltz, known today as the Viennese waltz, is much faster that the slow waltz we usually dance today. Did you know: Viennese waltz is 3 times faster that regular slow waltz - 180 beats per minute compared to 90. Today, waltz is one of the most popular partner dances in the world. It's romantic, elegant and very easy to learn. It clearly stood the test of time. Μάθετέ Latin και Ballroom στη Σχολή Χορού Fuente