Viennese waltz
Original fast-tempo waltz danced in closed hold.
The Viennese waltz (German: Wiener Walzer) is a form of ballroom dance. It is the original form of the waltz and the oldest of the current ballroom dances, emerging in the second half of the 18th century from the German dance and the Ländler in Austria.
- field
- Ballroom dance
- origin
- Austria
- also_known_as
- Wiener Walzer
- styles
- International Style and American Style
Lore & Background
The Viennese waltz emerged in the second half of the 18th century from the German dance and the Ländler in Austria. It gained ground through the Congress of Vienna at the beginning of the 19th century and by the famous compositions by Josef Lanner, Johann Strauss I and his son, Johann Strauss II. Initially, couples did not dance in closed position; the hold was semi-closed or side by side, with arms intertwined and circling movements under raised arms. Feet were turned out and the rise of foot was much more pronounced. Today, the Viennese waltz is a rotary dance where dancers constantly turn either clockwise (natural) or counter-clockwise (reverse), interspersed with non-rotating change steps. In modern ballroom dance, two versions are recognized: International Style and American Style. The Waltz Series is a New York membership society devoted to preserving the pre-World War I tradition of Viennese waltz.
Reader's Guide
The Viennese waltz is historically significant as the original form of the waltz and the first ballroom dance performed in closed hold. It represents a major shift in social dancing: before the waltz, European social dances were communal sequence dances where all dancers followed a preset pattern, facing outward to spectators. The waltz introduced independent couples turning toward each other, which Lord Byron decried in a furious letter as anti-social, comparing the couple to 'two cockchafers spitted on the same bodkin'. This change in dance form and manners was described by Quirey as 'the greatest change in dance form and dancing manners that has happened in our history'. Its legacy includes its enduring popularity in Germany, Austria, Scandinavia, and France, where the words Walzer, vals, and valse still refer to the original fast dance rather than the slow waltz. The Viennese waltz remains part of the International Standard division of contemporary ballroom dance, with competitive styles having a reduced number of steps. The Waltz Series in New York continues to preserve its pre-World War I tradition.
Did You Know?
- The Viennese waltz was the first ballroom dance performed in the closed hold or 'waltz' position.
- The Waltz Series is a New York membership society devoted to preserving the pre-World War I tradition of Viennese waltz.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Viennese waltz?
The Viennese waltz, also known as Wiener Walzer, is the original and oldest surviving form of ballroom waltz. It was born in Austria in the latter half of the 1700s, growing out of the German dance and the Ländler.
What are Viennese waltz's powers or role in ballroom?
Its signature role is continuous, rapid turning in a closed hold, giving dancers the sensation of never stopping. It is competed and socialized in both International Style and American Style ballroom.
How does Viennese waltz's story end?
It has no ending — the dance remains fully active in competition halls and social venues around the world today. As the oldest current ballroom dance, its narrative is one of ongoing life rather than a concluded arc.
Why is Viennese waltz important to dance history?
Every modern waltz style ultimately descends from this single Austrian form, making it the root of an entire dance family. Its 18th-century emergence established the 3/4-time, closed-hold framework that still defines waltz today.
What's the difference between Viennese waltz and slow waltz?
The Viennese version is danced at a noticeably faster tempo with unbroken, flowing turns, while the slow (or English) waltz is performed more gradually with clearly separated steps. Both share the same 3/4 meter and closed hold, but the Viennese style prioritizes perpetual rotation.
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