1. Perfecting the Modern Version of the Waltz
The Viennese waltz is the slower, modern version of the classic waltz. Although extremely graceful to watch, it's actually full of rotating ups, downs, turns and can be challenging to learn to do correctly. The Viennese waltz is usually taught to those who already have some knowledge of dancing the waltz.
2. Showing Off Natural Turns
Begin in classic waltz stance. Listen to feel the beat of the music, so you'll know when to start. Dance counts one and four will be the steps you need to emphasize, so your counts will go as "one," two, three "four," five, six. Stand slightly to the left of your dance direction. Step out with the right foot as you slightly turn or rotate around on the ball of the foot or toes, making a 90-degree rotation. On your toes or ball of the foot, step into the turn with your left foot. Move or pull the right foot on around. You're turning in time with the music. Now, angle the body to step "back" on the left foot angling into the dance line. Step the right foot in the dance direction being angled about 60 degrees and pull or slide the left foot over to the right. So to summarize, you're rotating to the right with a one, two, three, four, five, six and then rotating or turning back to the left with a one, two, three, four, five, six. Your emphasis is on counts one and four. You begin to feel in tune with the music and the angles and turns become natural as you dance the Viennese waltz.
3. Add the Reverse Turn for Variety in Your Viennese Waltz
Ballroom competitions and more Viennese waltz dancers will do variations on the American version of the Viennese waltz. One way to change it up is to do it with a reverse turn. After mastering the basics, adding the reverse turn to the Viennese waltz will come easier as you just reverse the natural turn to start on the left foot instead of the right.
4. Bump Up the Difficulty With a Fleckerl Turn
To add more difficulty into your Viennese waltz, practice doing it with a Fleckerl turn. This starts with a step over the right foot with your left foot and your goal is to maneuver a full turn. Of course, you do it in the other direction as well. It's important that the partner follows closely to the lead partner. This is definitely a more difficult style of the Viennese waltz, with several variations, and that's why you'll see it in ballroom dance competitions. A skilled dance couple can make even this fleckerl turn seem smooth, easy and graceful.
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