How to Dance Waltz

Waltz is the oldest of the modern ballroom dances, as well as the most popular. Many brides dream of dancing Waltz at their wedding, and it is the first, and sometimes only, ballroom dance many people learn. It is romantic and slow, with very pretty picture lines and a lot of turns.

One characteristic that makes Waltz different from other ballroom dances is that you dance it with rise and fall through your body and feet. Foxtrot and Viennese Waltz have a very small amount of rise and fall, but it is very subtle, unlike the more dramatic action of the Waltz. Waltz music is usually slow, so dancing with rise and fall will help you to fill out the music so you continually move through every second of the music. Waltz should be danced as smoothly as possible, with no jerky movements.

Another easily-recognized characteristic of Waltz is the timing: the music has an “oohm-pah-pah” feel, with three beats to the measure instead of four like most music, with two measures making up a six-beat phrase. Most Waltz steps are counted “one, two, three, four, five, six” to have the dancer stepping on each beat of the music.

There are too many Waltz steps to list here, but the Box Step is a good step to start with you if you are new to the dance. The steps for the Box Step in Waltz are the same for both men and women, except the woman starts back on her right foot and dances the pattern in the opposite order, following the man.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. Start with comfortably bent knees. You should be able to hold yourself in this position with good posture, not sticking your backside out or looking like you are sitting down. If you look in a mirror, you should see a relatively straight line running from your shoulder to your hip and down to the middle of the foot you are standing on.

2. Count 1: Pushing off your right leg, slide your left foot forward across the floor and land on the heel first, then roll onto the ball of your foot. Your knees should still be bent, just like when you started.

3. Count 2: Step sideways on the ball of your right foot. Your knees are still bent at this point.

4. Count 3: Pushing yourself up on your right foot, pull your left foot in. Stretch yourself tall, pull up through your body and straighten your knees until they are just slightly flexed. They should be nearly straight, but never lock them. You will be on both toes for a moment, but then flex your knees and lower only your left heel. Your weight should now be on your left foot, with your right foot free.

5. Count 4: Pushing off your left leg, slide the toe of your right foot across the floor as you step back, landing on the ball of the foot and then lowering the heel. Keep both knees bent.

6. Count 5: Step sideways on the ball of your left foot, keeping both knees bent.

7. Count 6: Pushing yourself up on your left foot, pull your right foot in. Stretch yourself tall, pull up through your body and straighten your knees until they are just slightly flexed. They should be nearly straight, but never lock them. You will be on both toes for a moment, but then flex your knees and lower only your right heel. Your weight should now be on your right foot, with your left foot free.

Resources

• Jennifer Dances