WALTZ
The waltz is a smooth, progressive ballroom and folk dance,
performed primarily in closed position.
There are several references to a sliding or gliding dance—a
waltz—from the 16th century, including the representations of the printer H.S.
Beheim. The French philosopher Montaigne wrote of a dance he saw in 1580 in
Augsburg, where the dancers held each other so closely that their faces
touched. Kunz Haas (of approximately the same period) wrote, "Now they are
dancing the godless Weller or Spinner." "The vigorous peasant dancer,
following an instinctive knowledge of the weight of fall, utilizes his surplus
energy to press all his strength into the proper beat of the measure, thus
intensifying his personal enjoyment in dancing."
In the 19th and early 20th century, numerous different waltz
forms existed, including versions performed in 3/4 or 6/8 (sauteuse), and 5/4
time (5/4 waltz, half and half)
In the 1910s, a form called the "Hesitation Waltz"
was introduced by Vernon and Irene Castle.[13] It incorporated "hesitatiZons"
and was danced to fast music. A hesitation is basically a halt on the standing
foot during the full waltz measure, with the moving foot suspended in the air
or slowly dragged. Similar figures (Hesitation Change, Drag Hesitation, and Cross
Hesitation) are incorporated in the International Standard Waltz Syllabus.
The Country Western Waltz is mostly progressive, moving
counter clock wise around the dance floor. Both the posture and frame are
relaxed, with posture bordering on a slouch. The exaggerated hand and arm
gestures of some ballroom styles are not part of this style. Couples may
frequently dance in the promenade position, depending on local preferences.
Within Country Western waltz, there is the Spanish Waltz and the more modern (for
the late 1930s- early 1950s) Pursuit Waltz. At one time it was considered ill
treatment for a man to make the woman walk backwards in some locations.
In California the waltz was banned by Mission fathers until
after 1834 because of the "closed" dance position. Thereafter a
Spanish Waltz was danced. This Spanish Waltz was a combination of dancing
around the room in closed position, and a "formation" dance of two
couples facing each other and performing a sequence of steps. "Valse a
Trois Temps" was the "earliest" waltz step, and the Rye Waltz was
favored as a couple dance.
In contemporary ballroom dance, the fast versions of the
waltz are called Viennese Waltz.
In traditional Irish music, the waltz was taught by
traveling dancing masters to those who could afford their lessons during the
19th century. By the end of that century, the dance spread to the middle and
lower classes of Irish society and traditional triple-tune tunes and songs were
altered to fit the waltz rhythm. During the 20th century, the waltz found a
distinctively Irish playing style in the hands of Céilidh musicians at dances.
International Standard Waltz has only closed figures; that
is, the couple never breaks the embrace.
The American Style Waltz, part of the American Smooth
ballroom dance syllabus, in contrast to the International Standard Waltz,
involves breaking contact almost entirely in some figures. For example, the
Syncopated Side-by-Side with Spin includes a free spin for both partners. Open
rolls are another good example of an open dance figure, in which the follower
alternates between the lead's left and right sides, with the lead's left or
right arm (alone) providing the lead. Waltzes were the staple of many American
musicals and films, including "Waltz in Swing Time" sung by Fred
Astaire.
The Scandinavian Waltz, performed as a part of Scandinavian
folk dance, can be fast or slow, but the dancers are always rotating.
The Peruvian Waltz is called and recognized in Peru as vals
criollo.
The Cajun Waltz is danced progressively around the floor,
and is characterized by the subtle swaying of the hips and step very close to
ordinary walking. It is danced entirely in the closed position.
The Cuban (or Tropical) Waltz follows the pattern of the
standard waltz throughout the song.
The Venezuelan waltz provided a basis for distinctive
regional musical composition.
The Contra Waltz (Freeform Waltz), included in most contra
dance evenings, uses both open and closed positions, and incorporates moves
from other dances such as swing, modern jive and salsa. Basically the dancers
progress around the dance floor with a waltz step, but with no constraints on
what moves they can use.
The Valse Musette, a form of waltz popular in France,
started in the late 19th century.
The cross-step waltz (French Valse Boston) developed in
France in the early 20th century and is popular in social waltz groups today.