Johann Strauss Waltzes.

[Spitfire]

Has anyone here danced a Viennese Waltz to a full length Johann Strauss tune such as The Blue Danube or Emperor Waltz? Those must be around 10 minutes in length. I've never heard a VW of any such duration played at any dance I've ever been to.

I was at a USABDA VW workshop a few years ago and the instructor told me that Johann Strauss did not compose his work for dancing as much as for listening; don't know how true that is. :?

[pygmalion]

How could anyone do a Viennese waltz to those long songs? I wonder if there was some sort of mixer involved in the 19th century dances?

[Spitfire]

How could anyone do a Viennese waltz to those long songs? I wonder if there was some sort of mixer involved in the 19th century dances?

I wonder if Salsero_AT could tell us more since he lives in Vienna.

[Vince A]

How could anyone do a Viennese waltz to those long songs? I wonder if there was some sort of mixer involved in the 19th century dances?
I think the Rollingstones did a shortend version for them back then . . . aren't they that old?

I couldn't imagine doing a VW for more than about 3 minutes . . . the quads pump up quickly!

[Spitfire]

How could anyone do a Viennese waltz to those long songs? I wonder if there was some sort of mixer involved in the 19th century dances?
I think the Rollingstones did a shortend version for them back then . . . aren't they that old?

I couldn't imagine doing a VW for more than about 3 minutes . . . the quads pump up quickly!

The Rolling Stones doing Johann Strauss? :o

Not that I'm fasmiliar with.

[Hespera]

Has anyone here danced a Viennese Waltz to a full length Johann Strauss tune such as The Blue Danube or Emperor Waltz? Those must be around 10 minutes in length. I've never heard a VW of any such duration played at any dance I've ever been to.

I was at a USABDA VW workshop a few years ago and the instructor told me that Johann Strauss did not compose his work for dancing as much as for listening; don't know how true that is. :?


The Strauss waltzes were indeed intended for dancing. However, social waltzing in Austria is very different from competitive dancing. They dance a lot of "Fleckerwalzer", which consists of tiny steps and minimal turns. Very rarely do you see 180 degree turns and big steps. Most people also use natural turns, and "rest" in between turns.

I am from Southern Germany (right on the border to Austria) and have been to many balls in Austria, so I know first-hand.

[fire_dancer]

There is a Viennese ball in Eau Claire, WI, that I've gone to for the past six years. Every Viennese Waltz they play is the original tune.. all 10 (or 12!) minutes of it. So yes, the traditional length songs are played still, although I've never heard them played outside a "Viennese Ball -esque" situation.

I get through the 10 minute songs by repeating my mantra: "This is my cardio for the night... this is my cardio for the night..." :)

[Mandicraft]

There is a Viennese ball in Eau Claire, WI, that I've gone to for the past six years. Every Viennese Waltz they play is the original tune.. all 10 (or 12!) minutes of it. So yes, the traditional length songs are played still, although I've never heard them played outside a "Viennese Ball -esque" situation.

I get through the 10 minute songs by repeating my mantra: "This is my cardio for the night... this is my cardio for the night..." :)


ahhh....V-Ball...How I miss it... and yes, I've danced to the Blue Danube there. They used to use it as the song to introduce the organizing committee so my final year I convinced a friend of mine who knew how to waltz to teach me and escort me for the introductions. However, we weren't doing a full out 180 degree V-Waltz and we quit shortly after everyone else was allowed to join in.

*single tear* good memories!!

[cornutt]

I thought that, as danced back then, you were supposed to change partners at every change in the melody, and people could enter or leave the dance floor at these break points. My guess is that few people danced the whole thing.

[fire_dancer]

ahhh....V-Ball...How I miss it... and yes, I've danced to the Blue Danube there. They used to use it as the song to introduce the organizing committee so my final year I convinced a friend of mine who knew how to waltz to teach me and escort me for the introductions. However, we weren't doing a full out 180 degree V-Waltz and we quit shortly after everyone else was allowed to join in.

*single tear* good memories!!

Yay! I love meeting others who have gone to V-ball...

And I'm sure you were lovely in the promenade!

[piimapoika]

In Strauss's day there were no heel leads or rise and fall, and the steps were very small. This would have made it less tiring. Even so, the men had to cope with heavy wool suits and the ladies had their steel corsets. Our ancestors must have been pretty tough!

[Joe]

Has anyone here danced a Viennese Waltz to a full length Johann Strauss tune such as The Blue Danube or Emperor Waltz? Those must be around 10 minutes in length. I've never heard a VW of any such duration played at any dance I've ever been to.
Not to mention all the tempo changes...

[cornutt]

Not to mention all the tempo changes...

Just a guess, but I assume it was played a bit closer to strict tempo when played by the dance orchestras of the day. Something like the "Minute Waltz" would be impossible if it were played like it's usually played by pianists today.

[Joe]

"Minute Waltz" isn't Strauss--it's Chopin. And there must be a reason why there are tempo changes played by modern orchestras when playing Strauss, probably musical tempo markings--rallentando, a tempo, etc. Especially things like the "Acceleration Waltz."

[Peaches]

Hmmm...now my curiousity is piqued...I'll have to remember to ask DH about this.