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The Viennese w altz is elegant, dignified, and at the same time full of passion and closeness of partners - no wonder that many young couples choose it for their first dance. And although the steps and figures of the Viennese w altz are not too difficult, achieving smoothness and lightness of movements requires systematic training.

Viennese w altzis a fairly dynamic dance (pace of about 60 bars per minute), and also a whirling one, because its main feature is rotational rotation, which is important - in the opposite direction clockwise. As a result, it requires relatively good physical condition, because maintaining the right pace is extremely important in the Viennese w altz.

In ballroom dance schools, mainly individual lessons are organizedViennese w altz , which the future newlyweds want to learn, choosingViennese w altzon yourfirst dancewedding.

History of the Viennese w altz

The history of the Viennese w altz dates back several hundred years, because the first mentions of this type of dance appeared in the 14th century. It probably derives from the folk dances popular in the territories of the then Germany and Austria. Over time, of course, it evolved, slowly entering the salons of the 17th-18th centuries. When it was first presented in the presence of the Viennese court and high society, it aroused mixed feelings - both delight and disapproval. Not only because the partners in the dance come into contact with their bodies from the knees up to the chest (the so-called close frame), but also because of the dynamic spinning, so characteristic of this dance. Some even claimed that such a pace of the w altz along with the accompanying rotational movement may be dangerous to the he alth or even life of the dancers.

See also: POLONEZ - description of the dance, steps and figures in the polonaise

The peak of popularity of the Viennese w altz falls on the 19th century. In Austria, during the Congress of Vienna, it became a dance that instantly conquered ballrooms to become one of the most fashionable and famous dances among the European aristocracy and the lower classes in just a few or a dozen years.

Steps of the Viennese w altz

The greatest difficulty in learning the Viennese w altz is not the steps themselves, but the smoothness of the movements. Partnersthey rise and fall rhythmically, but without any, even the slightest, jumps. As a result, the dancers seem to be delicately and at the same time agile and deftly moving along the dance floor. In addition, there are high-speed vortex rotations, the execution of which requires space and space to fully present all the beauty and grace of the Viennese w altz.

The steps of the w altz are not too complicated. Those carried forward should be placed from the heel, steps backwards - from the toes, and the side steps - on the entire soles. You need to make a slight left turn with each step, it is also important to balance your body weight properly. The rhythm of the steps should be regular, firm and strong at the same time.

As for the figures, there are five of them in the Viennese w altz: turn right, turn left, step change, natural fleckerl and reverse fleckerl. During the entire dance, the partners should be upright and must keep a stiff, close frame. The woman puts her hand on the man's shoulder, and he, in turn, puts his arm around his shoulder at the level of the shoulder blade. The second pair of hands is joined and the dancers hold them approximately at the same level as their partner's head.

See the Viennese w altz lesson on VIDEO

Music for the Viennese w altz

As early as the nineteenth century, the Viennese w altz became popular not only as a dance, but also as a piece of music, willingly performed by bands and music bands, and even orchestras. Its popularization was due to, among others, Johann Strauss, son, who composed some of the most famous w altzes, e.g. "Over the beautiful blue Dunajec River", "Stories of the Viennese Forest", "Roses of the South", "W altz of a Thousand and One Nights" or Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky ("W altz of flowers" from "Grandpa to nuts "). And it is these songs that many newly married couples choose for their first wedding dance.

The w altzes of our native authors are equally popular: Waldemar Kazanecki's "W altz Barbara" from the series "Noce i dnie", a w altz by Wojciech Kilar from "The Promised Land" and "Leper". The Viennese w altzes are not only lyrical, but also full of romanticism, and they really touch the heart.

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Dance