The waltz, at full speed
Viennese waltz: sweeping, fast and round
The Viennese waltz is the dance in period films where couples whirl around a ballroom in what looks like one continuous turn. It’s beautiful to watch and a real step up to dance, so it helps to know what you’re signing up for.
- Rated 4.9 on Google
- Founded by World and British champions
- Adults only
- No partner needed
How it differs from the slow waltz
Both are danced in three, and both are ballroom dances in closed hold. That’s about where the similarity ends.
Waltz
Danced at a gentle tempo with plenty of rise and fall, lots of different figures and time to think between steps. The usual place adults start.
Viennese waltz
Much quicker, with less rise and fall and far fewer figures. Most of the dance is turning, either to the right or to the left, travelling around the floor as you go.
The turns are the dance
A beginner’s Viennese waltz is mostly two figures: a natural turn, rotating to the right, and a reverse turn, rotating to the left, joined by simple change steps that let you switch direction. That sounds like very little to learn, and it is. The difficulty is doing it at speed without losing your partner, your balance or your lunch.
Dizziness is normal at first. Dancers manage it the way skaters do, by keeping their heads steady inside the frame and using their partner as a fixed point. It gets better quickly once the turns are smooth rather than lurching.
Further along there’s a figure called the fleckerl, a rapid spin on the spot in the middle of the floor. It’s a show-off move, and it’s a long way down the road.
Build up to it
Very few people should start with the Viennese. The sensible route is the slow waltz first, which teaches you frame, posture and how to move around the floor with a partner at a pace where mistakes are cheap. Most adults at Beach Ballroom start ballroom with waltz or foxtrot for exactly that reason.
Once those foundations are there, the Viennese waltz stops being a blur and starts being a joy. Ballroom group classes are booked with a 5, 10 or 20 class pass and added to the schedule as groups fill. The foxtrot is the other common first step.
Viennese waltz, quickly answered
Can we use a Viennese waltz for our first dance?
Some couples do, often with simplified turns or a mix of slow and fast sections. A coach can tell you whether your song and your timeline make it realistic.
How do I stop getting dizzy?
Keep your head still in your frame, focus near your partner rather than the spinning room, and practise the turns slowly. It improves faster than you’d think.
What should I wear?
Smooth-soled shoes that can turn, and clothes you can move your legs freely in. Grippy sneakers and fast turns are a bad mix.
Start with the waltz you can count
If the Viennese waltz is your goal, tell us at a $99 consultation. A senior coach will map out the route from the box step to your first full turn.