What makes this dance recognizable? What is typical, distinctive or characteristic?
Couples turn quickly to a measure of three around the floor and around each other. It looks cheerful, shimmering (but it's heavy stuff...)
Examples
That's amore - Dean Martin, Helmut Lotti, Malando
Que sera sera - Doris Day
Canta y no llores (ook Ay ay ayay of Cielito Lindo) - Trini Lopez, Semino Ross,..
BPM: 56-60
Waltz: rotating, to the flow of water opposite movement. Roller.
Video: as it may look ...
(We searched preferably brief and clear movies without much show, spectacle and competition.
Better suggestions are welcome.)
The name suggests that the Viennese Waltz comes from Austria, but the dance is actually originated in Germany (Bavaria) from the 18 -th century in the southern German and Austrian country dances (the Platter). The Landler claims the same. A solid (and then immoral) embrace or hold grip around the waist was necessary to spin the partner around without the feet touching the ground.
The rich and powerful held celebrations in great ballrooms of palaces and there was the "Nachtanz" danced.
Which is seen as the forerunner of the "Viennese" Waltz. However, the French claim that a dance from France called "Volta" was at the root of the Viennese Waltz. The Volta may also have been an Italian twist dance (1559). Fact is that the Viennese Waltz is the oldest of the current Ballroom dancing.
As of 1754, there is already known German Waltzen music. Around 1790, the Viennese Waltz was in revolutionary France a manifestation of bourgeois desire for freedom. Around 1825, at the hands of the music of Joseph Lanner and Johann Strauss Viennese Waltz became a European social company dance. It is one of the most popular and well-known dances. The name Viennese Waltz is easily associated with the music of Strauss. Johann Strauss Sr. lived from 1804 to 1849. He wrote 152 i.a. waltzes and e.g. The Radetzky March. Son Johann Strauss jr (1825-1899) wrote to At the Blue Danube (An der schonen blauen Donau)....
Only at the end of the 18th century the name Waltz, however, was given to this dance. The first real (Viennese) waltz melody "Ach du lieber Augustin" dates from 1770.
Recently scored the Limburg violinist Andre Rieu still hits with as theme the rhythm of the Viennese Waltz.
Because of its uniform motion, with lots of twists and a fast pace, it doesn’t stand that there are few figures are danced. Partly because of this, the dance has become one of the most popular company dances. Generally, the Viennese Waltz is danced fast and in practice is a lot harder than it looks. The Viennese Waltz is a very strenuous dance in which not only left (reverse turn) and right (natural turn) is rotated. The couples can even make more rapid turns at the place: the so-called fleckerls (Austrian diminutive fleck means place, spot).
To start, a rocking motion is made, a run up in the proper cadence.
The Viennese Waltz is a fast three-quarter measure (56 to 60 beats per minute), and is characterized by delaying the 2nd and 3rd beat (qqq, or hum -pa -pa). The first beat is with great emphasis present in a Viennese waltz.
The Viennese Waltz is clearly dominated by the musical Strauss family. So were there Johann Sr., Johann Jr., Joseph, Edward, but also Frederic Chopin and Brahms have composed Viennese Waltzes.
It strikes me that the Viennese Waltz is much more popular, and more couples dance it in dance schools where more figures are teached apart from left and right rotating; like a gap-close, lady twist, turn over ... (is not only the classical Fleckerl and pivots).
That makes it happier, more beautiful, more fun, enjoyable and varied. So no reason to limit the moves, on the contrary.