About the dances: Waltz dancing

When a couple is looking to create a memorable first dance for their wedding day, or when couples or individuals are looking to learn a romantic, slow and smooth-style dance, the waltz often times tends to be the dance that the client unknowingly is looking for. With this ballroom dance being such a popular one, we felt it would be exciting to give a little background on the history of the dance that is often known as “the mother of all dances”.

The waltz began as a folk dance in 18^th century Germany, based off of a dance called the Landler. The Landler, which had a hop in the step, transitioned to a glide, creating a new form of dance. Originally called the Walzer or Walzen, which meant to roll, turn, or glide, it became known as the Waltz over time. This new fad quickly spread from Germany to Paris by Napoleon’s soldiers and continued to trickle into England and eventually the United States.

The waltz was started by the Peasant class and was considered a scandalous dance due to the closeness it entailed.  This was the first dance to be danced in closed position, with the hand of the man touching the woman’s body! Even though it began as a shocking form, people quickly took a liking to it and it has become the standard smooth, triple time dance, with many variations created from it. With steps of 1,2,3, the waltz paved the way for many other forms of ballroom dance and continues to be known as the backbone dance, the dance to create the standard for all ballroom dances.

We hope this quick history lesson has been a fascinating insight into one of the most beloved dance forms!