Walzerkönig Johann Strauss in den Sofiensälen Wien

Die wahre Heimat des Wiener Walzers

- Strauss in the Sofiensäle -

The Viennese Waltz - pattern of steps

The Viennese Waltz

The Viennese Waltz is dance for couples in 3/4 time. The Waltz is danced in close embrace with quick turns and a fixed pattern of steps.

The Viennese Waltz is a variation on the couples dance with three steps per bar; other versions are the Mazurka dance or the historic "schwäbisch Tanzen" ("Swabian Dance") that had a strong influence on the development of the waltz.

Everyone is surely familiar with the image of the Vienna Opera Ball, in which hundreds of debutants in the white gowns and elegant suits spin in synchrony with beats of the Viennese Waltz. The debutants of the Opera Ball spend weeks preparing for their first big dance and with a bit of practice are able to execute a perfect Viennese Waltz with its famed clockwise rotation.

Even those who are not familiar with the basic waltz step – a move known as the "Pendelschritt" ("swing step") – can quickly learn to replicate the well-known 3 step turn of the Viennese Waltz during a concert break with our Master of Ceremony. In a relaxed atmosphere, the instructor will first explain the steps without turns and then slowly add in the proper Viennese Waltz turns. At the end of the concert there is an opportunity to try out and perfect the skills just learned.

The Vienna Opera Ball may be a bit far off, but at least the first Viennese Waltz at an upcoming wedding can be accomplished with a great sense of success.