Viennese Waltz Dance Lessons

Even though the Viennese waltz has been around for more than three centuries, the elegant spins and turns never seem to get old. Today, it’s actually one of the oldest forms of ballroom dance still practiced. It traces back to 1700s Europe, but it wasn’t until the 1800s when the world really fell in love with the Viennese waltz. That’s when Austrian composer Johann Strauss, known as the “Waltz King,” created beautiful dance music, like The Blue Danube, and other composers followed suit.

In the Viennese waltz, dancers pair up and move in a circular motion across the dance floor. In a hold, they do a series of spins and twirls, making the movements look graceful. It has a fast ¾ time and a 1-2-3 rhythm. While there are some rise and fall, like the waltz, it’s danced with less vertical movement. Because the Viennese waltz is faster, it takes practice to make it look as natural as possible.