Blog 6: The Wondrous Waltz

For my “Dance in World Cultures” class I had to write a 10-page research paper on the Waltz.  What I discovered was that the Waltz has an intriguing history that is contrary to what people think of the Waltz today.  Here is a very small part of the paper I wrote.  Once I get it back, I will post it in its entirety.

Waltz (noun)

1. a. A ballroom dance in triple time with a strong accent on the first beat.

b. A piece of music for this dance.

    c. An instrumental or vocal composition in triple time.

2. Informal Something that presents no difficulties and can be accomplished with little effort.

The word “Waltz” has different connotations.  Even after looking up the word in the dictionary, there are conflicting definitions of what it is and different contexts in which the word may be used.  As noted above, the Waltz is commonly known as a “ballroom dance in triple time with a strong accent on the first beat” and then also informally known as “something that presents no difficulties and can be accomplished with little effort.”  But what do we know about the Waltz and what comes to mind when we hear the word?

Well, when I first heard the word Waltz, I immediately thought traditional, regal, soft, pretty, easy and even old.  And I believe many would agree with me about many of these words I’ve associated with the Waltz—at least in one way or another.  However, if we were to look at the Waltz in a historical and chronological context, there is a wealth of information and past to the Waltz that many would find surprising.  This past has shaped and constructed our notion of the word today, to the point that misconceptions and misunderstandings of the Waltz are plentiful.  More than that, it has influenced our view, perhaps, to the point of negativity and uncertainty about the Waltz.

Photo taken by: Sharon Holck Photography

Misconceptions and Misunderstandings of the Waltz

Today, the Waltz and the Tango are the most commonly-known ballroom dances.  The Waltz is also the dance most often sought after when doing wedding first dances or father/daughter dances.  From this current understanding and idea of the Waltz, it is fair to say that in a nutshell, the Waltz is a popular, simple and traditional dance.  But these concepts of the Waltz do no justice to what the Waltz is and furthermore was.

The Waltz is indeed a popular dance—but so popular that it was the foundation (the “mother” as they call it) for all ballroom dances and in essence the origin of modern-day partner dancing as we know it. Furthermore, the Waltz has become its own popular music genre that is still heard today.  In terms of its simplicity, the Waltz may have started out as a basic-step dance, but it has evolved into one of the most difficult, competitive and athletic dances nowadays.  Lastly, the idea of the Waltz being traditional can be looked at as an understatement.  The dance’s earliest documentation dates back almost 300 years—making it one of the oldest partner dances (or what we call social dancing today) ever.  In addition, the Waltz was at one point so fresh and edgy that it was banned and deemed taboo.

Nevertheless, in order for anyone to fully understand any dance style we must look at its past.  This paper will take a comprehensive look at the Waltz from its birth to its present so that our definition of the word Waltz will go beyond just a simple ballroom dance. Because truthfully, the Waltz is a complex dance that is rich in history and substance.

Here is a video of one my favorite male ballroom dancers, Nick Kosovich, showing all the complexities of the Waltz: