Two of the five ballroom dances, the Modern Waltz and the Viennese Waltz are classically elegant when performed socially or in DanceSport competitions.

The word 'ballroom' denotes a room where formal social dances are held. "Balls" were important social events in the days before radio and television (as in 'having a ball'). The word 'ball' derives from the Latin 'ballare' meaning 'to dance'. This is also the origin of the related words : ballet, ballerina, ballad, etc. Note that this origin is quite different from that of a 'ball': a round object used for games. This derives from the Old Norse : 'bollr', meaning 'to inflate'.

The figures in the modern ballroom dances have now been standardised and categorised into various levels for teaching, with internationally agreed vocabularies, techniques, rhythms and tempos. But it was not always so.

These 'Standard Ballroom' dances have diverse origins. rhythms, tempos, and aesthetics, but have one thing in common: they are all danced by a couple (usually a man and a lady) in 'Closed Hold', maintaining five areas of contact between the partners while performing all the figures of the dances.

VIENNESE WALTZ

The Waltz is a dance performed to music with three beats to the bar. This means that if a step is taken on each beat, then each bar starts with the opposite foot to that of the previous bar. This can be a source of great difficulty for the beginner, but when mastered gives the dance a delightful romantic lilt.

Currently, the Viennese Waltz is danced at a tempo of about 180 beats per minute, with a limited range of figures, namely: Forward and Backward Change Steps, Natural and Reverse Turns (travelling or on the spot as Fleckerls), Contracheck, Left Whisk, Off Beat Spin, Two Bar Contra, and Reverse Pivot.

MODERN WALTZ

In the early 19th Century, the "Waltzen" became popular through many parts of Germany and Austria, with the local variants being called by the name of the area in which they were danced. The form from Landl ob der Enns in upper Austria became very popular, and became known by the abbreviated name of the 'Landler.'

A more sedate form of the fast Viennese Waltz, danced at a leisurely 90 beats per minute, also evolved in America around 1834 known originally as the 'Boston.' This version of the Waltz retained the characteristic turning figures and added others such as a dip, and was danced with the partners holding their hands on each others hips. The Boston also had the distinction of being the first ballroom dance to be done with feet parallel (rather than turned out, as in ballet).

The present form of the dance has been variously described as being derived around 1910 in England both from the Landler (Norton, 1994, 12/482) and from the Boston (Sadie, 1980, 20/200). Either way, there: the dancers began taking advantage of the slower tempo to add more figures, some with extra syncopated beats, some with slow "picture" steps. These give the dance light and shade, and make it more interesting to perform and to watch.