Time Signature
Waltz music is written in 3/4 time: three beats in a measure; a quarter note gets one beat. (No worries if you don’t know what a quarter note is!)
In this context, ‘3/4 time’ is read aloud as ‘three-four time’.
Waltz is a smooth, flowing dance in 3/4 time, with graceful movement and a gentle rise-and-fall feeling. The figures below are arranged in a carefully-planned learning sequence.
About Waltz
Typical Tempo
A comfortable standard Waltz is often about 84–99 beats per minute. You’ll hear a faster one below, too!
Listening for the Downbeat
In Waltz, the first beat of every measure is called the downbeat. It’s usually the strongest beat, giving Waltz its familiar ‘ONE two three’ rhythm.
Learning to hear the downbeat makes it easier to begin a figure on the correct beat and stay synchronized with the music.
Listen to Waltz Music
♫ Could I Have This Dance
87 BPM
♫ Stay This Moment
84 BPM
♫ Jacalyn’s Waltz
84 BPM
♫ Their Hearts Are Dancing
105 BPM
♫ Ballroom Dance Music
90 BPM (begins with 2 pickup beats)
Phase I
- Box the classic beginning Waltz figure
- Reverse Box the Box figure in the opposite direction
- Balance Left a basic side-to-side balancing action
- Balance Right a basic side-to-side balancing action
- Balance Forward a basic forward (for man) balancing action
- Balance Back a basic backward (for man) balancing action
- Waltz Away partners waltz away from each other
- Waltz Together partners waltz towards each other
- Waltz Away and Together partners waltz away and together
- Circle Away and Together partners make small circles away from each other, then return
- First Practice Dance: ‘Could I Have This Dance’ transition from individual figures to a real dance
Phase II
Coming soon!