English Waltz

Do you know what the English Waltz is?

Waltz is a dance that probably most of us associate with the big ball. Hearing the

music men in dress-coats and ladies in long dresses appear before our eyes spinning in a cheerful dance in

the ballroom lit by chandeliers.

The origin of the English waltz

Waltz is a dance of German origin, which gained popularity in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth

century. At first, it was danced in the sub-venues in the suburbs, but very quickly moved into ballrooms and salons.

Then, it developed different variants, one of which is the English waltz, sometimes called a slow waltz, and its

predecessors were in Boston and Viennese waltz.

History of the English waltz

English Waltz was created in the early twenties of the twentieth century. Apparently it arose from the reluctance of Britons to fast dances. Victor Silvester is considered a creator of this dance. He was one of the first post-war English dancers to feature the full natural turn in the slow waltz. This innovation was a

factor in his winning the first World Ballroom Dancing Championship in 1922.

Interesting facts about the English waltz

Waltz was originally a dance danced only by lower class people.

Waltz was initially a slow dance. The basis of the move is a rotation around the dance hall moving

counterclockwise.Waltz from the suburbs entered the ballrooms and

salons of bourgeois, and even the aristocracy, but when it was first danced at the Congress of Vienna in 1815 it was despised by the ladies and considered as immoral because of the distance between the partners, whereas

men considered it to be harmful to health due to constant spinning which may led to the death.

Interesting facts about the English waltz

The moralists and historians of different times were engaged in fierce disputes, and seemed to came up

with contradictory opinions about the dance.

*„Worshipful, quiet, dignified" - admired by some. 

*"Crude and dumb" - others were sceptical.

Figures in the English waltz

The steps are simple enough to be smooth, full of grace and lightness. Dancing couple should glide on the dance floor in perfect harmony. English Waltz is a dance danced in the classic tournaments. The judging criteria include, amongst others, proper implementation of the swinging

motion of pairs with different variants of floating and sinking during each beat. Extremely important is the

partners’ posture - it should not change during dancing, and a silhouette of dancers should create subtle lines.

Even, if this dance is known to be slow it requires a good body and feet condition.

* The basic figures are :

*turn right

*,,chasse’’

*spin

*promenade

*,,whisk’’

*,,open telemark’’

*weaver

*wings

* spin left

*,,fallaway’’

Bibliography

*www.wikipedia.pl

*http://taniec.re.pl/artykul/3537.html

*http://index.forum.gazeta.pl/szukaj/forum/walca+angielskiego

Thank you for watching my presentation :)