The Different Styles of Waltz

Waltz
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Based in Encinitas, California, Kristin Gaspar oversees all business development aspects of Gaspar Physical Therapy in her role as chief financial officer. Earlier in her career, Kristin Gaspar participated in competitive ballroom dance.

A historic style of ballroom dance, the waltz first gained popularity among the noble societies of early 19th-century England. Since then, the dance has become a standard in the international competitive ballroom circuit, developing unique variations along the way. Here are a few of the variations on the traditional waltz:

Viennese Waltz: The most common style found in competition, the Viennese waltz is also one of the most formal styles. Danced in a closed position, this waltz includes only a few figures. The Viennese waltz is performed to a tempo of 180-200 beats per minute, making it one of the fastest styles.

American Waltz: After the waltz first came to the United States halfway through the 19th century, American composers began creating music that slowed its traditional pace. This eventually gave rise to the American style of waltz, which is known for its fluidity and versatility. Dancers may move in closed or open position, incorporating a wider range of movements than in the European style.

Country Western Waltz: Similar to the American form, the country western waltz utilizes a slow tempo but makes heavy use of the shadow position throughout each dance. In addition, choreography in this style more often uses running progressive steps than American or Viennese waltzes. Most importantly, participants dance this waltz to country-western music instead of traditional orchestral pieces.

Types of American Style Ballroom Dance

Ballroom Dancing
Image: americanballroomnc.com

A dedicated civil servant in Encinitas, California, Kristin Gaspar has served as the city’s first elected mayor for the last year. Earlier in her career, Kristin Gaspar participated in ballroom dance competitions and worked as a dance instructor.

Ballroom dance competitions typically include dances from both the International Latin and American Styles. American ballroom dance is further divided into the Smooth and Rhythm categories, which offer distinctive features not found in other types of ballroom dance.

Many people associate the American Smooth style with the iconic dance pair of Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers. While other ballroom styles require both partners to remain together throughout the dance, American Smooth features the more relaxed “open hold” position. This unique aspect of American ballroom facilitates more creativity and creates a distinctive form of dance by allowing partners to dance separately during the piece. Popular ballroom styles in this category include the Viennese Waltz, Tango, and Foxtrot.

The American Rhythm style includes elements from International Latin dance, but also incorporates features of dances from African and Latin American countries. The Rhythm form exclusively incorporates the Cuban motion, which causes dancers to rotate their hips by flexing their knees during a step. In addition to Swing, American Rhythm dances include the Mambo and Bolero.