Tampa, FL 33617
American Waltz
Reportedly, the first time the waltz was danced in the United States was in Boston
in 1834. Lorenzo Papanti, a Boston dancing master, gave an exhibition in Mrs.
Otis' Beacon Hill mansion. Social leaders were aghast at what they called "an
indecorous exhibition." By the middle of the nineteenth century, the waltz was
firmly established in United States society. Music plays an important role in
dance, and every dance is dependent upon the availability of the appropriate music.
The waltz was given a tremendous boost around 1830 by two great Austrian composers
- Franz Lanner and Johann Strauss. These two composers were by far the most popular
during the nineteenth century: they set the standard for the Viennese Waltz, (a
very fast version of the waltz). By 1900, a typical dance program was three quarter
waltzes and one quarter all other dances combined. Around the close of the nineteenth
century, two modifications of the waltz were developed. The first was the Boston,
a slower waltz with long gliding steps. Although the Boston disappeared with the
first world war, it did stimulate development of the English or International
style which continues today. The second was the hesitation, which involves taking
one step to three beats of the measure. Hesitation steps are still widely used
in today's waltz. Fortunately, the violent opposition faded out and the Waltz
weathered an exciting and varied career, emerging today in two accepted forms,
both reflecting the main characteristics of the dance. They are known as the Modern
Waltz and the Viennese (Quick) Waltz.
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