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Waltz is a beautiful, romantic dance characterized by its rise & fall motion and long, flowing movements. Great for weddings, or any other special occasion. Today, waltz is widely popular all around the world. Was it always like that? In this article we will take a peek into the history of 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.

Waltz was born in Vienna, Austria in the 17th century. It was at first a folk dance, danced by people of alpine area of Austria and Bavaria. Initially, it was considered vulgar and inappropriate by the aristocracy, mainly because it’s a couples dance involving close contact between a man and a woman. In some areas it was banned from public ballrooms. For short period of time even in Vienna.

This, of course, didn’t stop it. We all know that forbidden fruits are the sweetest. By the end of the 18th century, waltz conquered all of Europe and soon after, the rest of the world. Mozart was a huge fan of it.

In the 19th century two of the greatest Austrian composers – Franz Lanner and Johann Strauss, gave waltz a tremendous boost. The Blue Danube, composed by Johann Strauss Jr., is probably the most famous waltz music.

When waltz became popular in the United States in the 1830s, it developed into a slower style, known as the Boston waltz. The original waltz, known today as the Viennese waltz, is much faster that the slow waltz we usually dance today. Did you know: Viennese waltz is 3 times faster that regular slow waltz – 180 beats per minute compared to 90.

Today, waltz is very much alive and extremely popular with dancers of all ages. And why shouldn’t it be? It’s elegant, attractive, and sophisticated. Nearly universal.