Waltz is a progressive dance characterized by long, gliding steps and rise and fall motion. Today, it's very popular with all dancers, young and old, and often the first ballroom dance people learn. It's spread all around the world. In this article we are going to take a brief tour through the history of waltz.

The word waltz comes from the German language. Waltzen means to roll, to turn, or to glide. Waltz is a turning dance, so it's a very appropriate name.

Waltz was born in Vienna, Austria in the 17th century. It was at first a folk dance, danced by people of alpine area of Austria and Bavaria. Initially, it was considered vulgar and inappropriate by the aristocracy, mainly because it's a couples dance involving close contact between a man and a woman. In some areas it was banned from public ballrooms. For short period of time even in Vienna.

Of course, this only increased the popularity of it. By the end of the eighteenth century it was known throughout Europe and accepted by high society. Mozart was a supporter of waltz, he composed quite a few.

Beautiful waltz music composed by Johann Strauss and Franz Lanner gave waltz in the middle of the 19th century an enormous support. Who doesn't know The Blue Danube by Johann Strauss Jr.

In 1834, waltz was first introduced to the United States. It soon evolved into a much slower version of the original Viennese Waltz. The Viennese waltz is much faster and more challenging than the regular waltz we know today. English or slow waltz is danced at about 90 beats per minute. Viennese waltz is approximately three times faster.

In this time and age, waltz is danced all around the world by people of all walks of life. Both styles, the faster Viennese and slower English, are widely popular. A truly elegant and ageless dance.