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Background
The term for the dance, the
Waltz comes from the old German word walzen, which
means to roll, turn, or to glide. When first introduced into the English ballrooms in the
early 1800's, the Waltz was denounced by both church and
state for its vulgarity and immorality, primarily due to its
closer hold and rapid turning movements. Religious leaders
almost unanimously regarded it as vulgar and sinful. In July
of 1816, the waltz was included in a ball given in London by
the Prince Regent. A blistering editorial in The Times a few
days later stated:
"We
remarked with pain that the indecent foreign dance called
the Waltz was introduced (we believe for the first time) at
the English court on Friday last ... it is quite sufficient
to cast one's eyes on the voluptuous intertwining of the
limbs and close compressure on the bodies in their dance, to
see that it is indeed far removed from the modest reserve
which has hitherto been considered distinctive of English
females. So long as this obscene display was confined to
prostitutes and adulteresses, we did not think it deserving
of notice; but now that it is attempted to be forced on the
respectable classes of society by the civil examples of
their superiors, we feel it a duty to warn every parent
against exposing his daughter to so fatal a contagion."
Technical
specifics
| Meter: |
3/4 |
| Tempo: |
84 - 90
beats per minute |
| Basic
Rhythm: |
123
123 (strong accent on 1) |
| Music
Style: |
Slow
ballads or instrumental music in 3/4 time. |
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Listen to
sample music |
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View the
dance position |
Movement
fundamentals
Waltz
is a smooth progressive dance characterized by long, flowing
movements, continuous turns, and rise & fall. Graceful
and elegant, Waltz dancers glide around the floor almost
effortlessly. At 28-32 measures per minute, the tempo is
slow at best, but the expressive quality of the music often
invites very powerful and dynamic movement from dancers.
Click
HERE for the
steps of the Waltz.
»
Link to
more
advanced Waltz steps.
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