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Viennese Waltz—
3 beats/measure; 50-62 meas/min
The Viennese Waltz is an old rhythm, having thought to have originated
in Austria and in southern Germany in the late 1700s as a peasant dance
called the Ländler, characterized by 3/4 time and lots of rotation.
What really turns this dance into a "Waltz" is maybe the use of closed
position. It came to Vienna during the 1800s and quickly became
extremely popular throughout Europe and America.
As in Modern Waltz, the first beat of each measure is a
heavily accented
"downbeat." The music then rises to a crescendo through beats 2 and 3.
At the end of beat 3, the music falls again. One dancer described the
feel of waltz music as "BOOM, cha, cha. The dancer feels this
swelling and contracting in each measure. We rise and stretch with the
music. But the Viennese Waltz is danced much faster than the Modern
Waltz, up to twice as fast. This means that the rise and fall is
quicker and more shallow, and steps are small and compact.
In the beginning, waltzers did only natural (right-face)
turns. As late as 1910, waltzers did natural turns, reverse turns, and
the closed changes (forward waltz) that allowed one to switch from one
turn to the other. Needless to say, we have many more figures to choose
from now.
Figure Name, Roundalab Phase
Level, & Timing
q=quick, 1 beat
s=slow, 2 beats
&=1/2 beat; a=1/4 beat |
Steps and Actions That Make Up
the Figure
Each description focuses on the man,
with the woman's footwork in parenthesis. If a woman's step is not
given, it is the natural opposite or follow of the man's. Help: basic dance
positions and steps,
actions, directions, and abbreviations. Non-standard punctuation: a
comma separates two beats of music, a semi-colon marks the end of a
measure, and a slash (/) indicates a split beat, two things occurring
in a single beat.
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Here are some sequences to help
you visualize the figure in context.
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| Reverse Turn or Viennese Turns
123; 123;
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In closed position facing line of dance,
step forward L (W bk R), commence turning LF, step side and back to
face center, and cross lead foot in front of trail to face reverse
(woman simply close R to L). Step back R (W fwd L) turning, side and
forward to face line again, and close R to L (woman cross in front). It
is a full turn over two measures and can be repeated. On count 3, the
person backing always crosses in front, and the person moving forward
always closes.
International style emphasizes a "side lead" and
therefore a sway to reverse in both the reverse and the natural turns
(below). Step forward L (woman back R) turning LF, side R with right
side lead and sway to reverse line of dance facing center of hall, and
then cross left in front of right; In the second measure, step back R
and only now face reverse, step side L with left side lead and again
sway to reverse facing wall, and then cross right in front of left; As
you turn, emphasize throwing your right shoulder down line; then your
left shoulder; and so on.
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Whirl gayly down the ballroom up to the
point at which you might feel dizzy, and try to incorporate a feel of
floating by holding the second step a little longer than the one beat.
You will be rising a little during beat one. At the height of beat two,
hold that step, hovering like a feather on a soft breath of air, and
then take step three a little quicker, as you fall, to repeat the
timing. Instead of, bum, bum, bum; bum, bum, bum; you might think: bum,
BUM, ba; bum BUM, ba; (If that seems too fanciful, 123; works just
fine.) |
| Closed
Change or Forward Change
123;
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In closed position, line of dance, step
forward, forward and side with shoulder lead, and close. You can begin
with either foot, and there is little body turn.
A back closed change is back, back and side with
shoulder lead, close;
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This is the figure that allows you to stop
your turning in one direction, get the other foot free, and begin
turning in the other direction. It simply "changes" the free foot. So,
we do a few reverse turns, a closed change, and then a few natural
turns. |
| Natural Turn
123; 123;
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In closed position, line of dance, step
forward R, commence turning RF, side and back L to face wall, and close
R to L to face diagonal reverse and wall. Step back, side and forward
turning, and close L to R to face diagonal line and center. An option
is to shorten the side steps, turn a little more, and end facing line.
Again, a side lead, throwing your left shoulder down
line and then the right shoulder helps you get around and almost
automatically puts a nice sway into your frame (see reverse turns
above).
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In Noche De Ronda by the
Cunninghams, the introduction begins with viennese turns;;;; fwd waltz;
3 natural turns to butterfly wall;;; waltz away and together;; to a
canter twirl;; |
| Reverse Fleckerl
123; 123;
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Where the reverse turn makes a full
rotation over two measures and progresses, the reverse fleckerl makes a
full rotation in each measure and is done on the spot. It's as if you
were challenged to do a really quick reverse turn on top of a really
small, round, night-club table.
The steps are a little difficult to describe, because
you are turning on every step. For instance, the first step is forward
on the left foot for the man; however, he turns 1/4 LF during that
first beat, so at the end of the step, his left foot is crossed in
front of his right. With that sort of problem in mind, the man dances:
front, side, front; side, behind, close (or vine, 2, 3); The woman
dances the opposite: vine, 2, 3; front, side, front; As a couple, you
turn in place two full rotations.
In more detail, beat by beat: in closed position, line
of dance, step forward L between the woman's feet and turn 1/4 LF (she
steps forward and side R). On beat 2, step side and back R turning 3/8
LF (she crosses L in back of R). On beat 3, cross L in front of R
turning 3/8 (she closes R to L). In measure two, he steps forward and
side R turning 1/4 LF, XLIBR turning 3/8, and close R turning 3/8. She
XLIFR, side R, and XLIFR.
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Normally, once you get going, you will
want to enjoy it for a while. At least take 12 steps and four
rotations. In Que Sera Sera, you do a reverse turn;; rev
fleckerl;;;; step fwd checking, recover R, bk L checking; to a natural
turn;; Notice that the check, recover, slip; is used in place of a
forward change (above), and it accomplishes the same thing. |
| Natural Fleckerl
123; 123;
(see the little graphic at the bottom of this page)
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The Natural Fleckerl is much like the
Reverse Fleckerl (see above), beginning with the trail feet and
rotating RF. The man dances front, side, front; side behind, close; The
woman dances side behind close; front, side front; As a couple, you
turn in place two full rotations right face.
In more detail, beat by beat: in closed position, line
of dance, step forward R between the woman's feet and turn 1/4 RF (she
steps forward and side L). On beat 2, step side and back L turning 3/8
RF (she crosses R in back of L). On beat 3, cross R in front of L
turning 3/8 (she closes L to R). In measure two, he steps forward and
side L turning 1/4 RF, XRIBL turning 3/8, and close L turning 3/8. She
XRIFL, side L, and XRIFL.
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| Side Hesitation
1,-, -;
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In closed position, line of dance, step
side L, rise slightly and draw R to L, lower on L; You may repeat with
trail feet. Note: only one weight change. |
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| Forward Hesitation
1,-, -;
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In closed position, line of dance, step
forward L, rise slightly and draw R to L, lower on L; You may repeat
with trail feet. Note: only one weight change. A back hesitation begins
with a back step. |
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| Hesitation
Left Quarter Turning Box
1,-,-; 123;
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A slow, waltz box is danced: fwd, sd, cl;
bk, sd, cl; A left turning box is danced with the same steps, but you
make a 1/4 LF turn on the fourth step.
This figure is danced with a hesitation during the first
half box and the back half box as usual: In closed position, step
forward L (woman back R), touch R to L, hold; step back R turning 1/4
LF, side L, close R;
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In the Goss' Look At Me I'm Sandra Dee,
part B begins in closed position facint line with three hesitation left
quarter turning boxes to face wall;;;;;; vine 3 to half open position;
step R (woman L) point L; roll three to left open reverse; back R point
L; continue roll 3 to open line; step R point L; and run 6 lady curving
to pickup position;; |
| Canter Telemark
1, -, 3; 1, -, -;
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In closed position, diagonal line and
center, step forward L turning LF, continue rotation but no weight
change, step side and forward R around woman; step side and forward L
to semi-closed, diagonal line and wall, hold, hold; |
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| Canter Vine
1, -, 3;
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In facing position, wall, step side L,
rise, XIB; |
then repeat: sd L, -, step through to open
position facing line of dance lead feet free; |
| Canter Twirl
1,-,3; 1,-,-;
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In butterfly position, man facing wall,
step side L (woman side R), draw L to R and touch (woman draws R to L
and turns RF under the lead arms full turn), close L (woman close R);
step side L, draw R to L and touch, -; |
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| Reverse Canter Twirl
1,-,3; 1,-,-;
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In butterfly position, man facing wall,
trail feet free, step side R (woman side L), draw R to L and touch
(woman draws L to R and turns LF under the trail arms full turn), close
R (woman close L); step side R, draw L to R and touch, -; |
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| Open Fence Line
1, -, -;
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In open position, diagonal line and
center, both with left foot free, cross LIF of R and hold. |
Do a natural turn to DLC;; then roll the
woman RF, man transitioning (1, -, 3;) to open DLC; open fence line;
roll her back LF to closed position (123;) man again transitioning by
taking no step at all; canter telemark;; and finally change your sway,
moving her head from open to closed; (again, from Shibata's Que
Sera Sera) |
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