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.
The popularity, as it often happens, in due course overcame all the protests. By the end of the 18th century, waltz was generally accepted by all layers of society and widely spread across Europe.
Beautiful waltz music composed by Johann Strauss and Franz Lanner gave waltz in the middle of the 19th century an enormous support. Who doesn't know The Blue Danube by Johann Strauss Jr.
In the 19th century, when waltz was introduced to the United States, a different style emerged. Boston Waltz, also known as American Waltz, was a slower version of the traditional Viennese Waltz. Later on, the slow waltz, as we know it today, evolved from the Boston waltz. Viennese waltz is three times faster than the slow or English waltz.
In this time and age, waltz is danced all around the world by people of all walks of life. Both styles, the faster Viennese and slower English, are widely popular. A truly elegant and ageless dance.
About the Author:
Erika Tieleman is an avid dancer. Her favorite dance is of course waltz. If you want to learn how to dance waltz, take a look at waltz instructional videos.
Get all the information and photos:: http://coringa.info/sports/a-brief-history-of-waltz
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