Waltz | Dance | Orange County

WALTZ

The waltz was a social dance that impacted history and caused controversy among critics and polite society. In 3/4 meter (Math and Music), this dance had many different rhythmical variations with a strong emphasis on the first beat of every measure. The term "waltz" comes from the German word waltzen, which technically means tramping. The Latin form of that word, however, volvere, suits the idea of the waltz much more adequately because it means turning, rotating, or whirling. The waltz was the most popular form of social dance in the nineteenth century because it was simplistic, unsophisticated, and involved couples in close embrace. Its initial roots extend far beyond the German peasant dance that originated in the 1750's.