The Waltz

The waltz has descended from various local dances from many of the countries in Europe, tracing its descent from the 18th century. It has retained its popularity through the twentieth century, working through many variations to become the dance known today.

It is smooth and elegant in nature, seeming to breathe through the movement and shape of the dancers. It is characterised by a distinctive rise and fall and is of course counted in 3/4 time.

The Quickstep 

The Quickstep is a fast and light dance, often noted to be seeming to get faster each year! It combines runs, hops and checks with more graceful and flowing figures. It originated in England, replacing the Foxtrot as the most popular dance of the 1930's. 

The music is lively in character and borrows some Charleston type moves when the dancers stay on the spot and keep bouncing whilst doing neatly executed kicks and flicks of the feet.

The Tango

The Tango draws its influence from Argentine and Spanish folk dances. It began in South America in the 19th century, appearing in Europe in the 20th century. But it did not receive a warm welcome, proving itself to be controversial, and being banned as obscene by Papal authority. The French choreographer and composer Camil de Rinal reinvigorated the dance by making it more simple. After initial success in Paris in 1909, the Tango spread over Europe and enjoyed immense popularity in the period between 1910-1915, only to go out of fashion in the 1930's-60's.

It is characterised by fast figures which involve sharp movements of legs, bodies and head, in counterpoint with slower groups, meant to immitate slow-burning, sensual passion. The music can be passionate and dramatic, but more often than not can fall short of expectations.

The ballroom tango is not to be confused with the Argentine Tango, which is characterised by a much closer almost cuddle hold and the emphasis is more on the slow sensual movements and freer shapes of the legs.

The Slow Foxtrot

The Foxtrot originally arrived in Europe at the beginning of the 20th century, quickly gaining in popularity through to the 1920's. Much of this was due to the influence of American dancers such as Vernon and Irene Castle.

The Slow Foxtrot is the variation which is danced competitively. It is characterised by long lines, with uninterrupted and fluid movements, meant to suggest reserved power and constant control.

The music is varied in its colour. Sometimes soft and seemingly languid, it can also possess an intense nature.

The Viennese Waltz

Possibly the stereotype of ballroom dancing, the Viennese Waltz originated in Vienna in the 19th century - a product of Hungarian and Austrian dances. It is fast, yet retains the smooth nature of the waltz, with the dancers revolving gently around their partners, other couples, and the floor. Watch out the fleckerl, where couples will stop in the middle of the floor to spin quickly around each other on the spot using fast footwork combinations - only the brave or true champions will ever attempt it, so expect greatness!

Many of the classical waltzes are, by virtue of their speed, Viennese waltzes. Interestingly the (slow) waltz was developed much later than the Viennese Waltz when the British slowed down the music to be able to dance to it more easily (hence why slow waltz is often called English Waltz in Europe).