France – The waltz is a fast dance with a tempo between 110 and 180 beats per minute. Musical phrases contain 8 measures.

Originally written in the nineteenth century by the composers of the Strauss dynasty (Johann father and sons, Josef and Eduard Strauss), as well as by some French composers such as Jacques Offenbach or Émile Waldteufel, it originated in the suburbs of Vienna and Haute -Austria in the seventeenth century. But its European diffusion is linked to the revolutionary movement of 1789.

The slow waltz or English waltz is a form of waltz that appeared at the same time as the Viennese waltz in the early nineteenth century. It was a simple evolution of the classic Viennese waltz over three beats, replacing the second beat by a pause. This way of dancing the waltz spread after the Second World War with a new generation that sought a stylized and natural way to dance.

Finally, the musette waltz is a popular ball dance that appeared in France at the beginning of the 20th century, followed shortly by the java, which resembles it. These two dances are faster, simpler, more sensual and require less space than the original style. But the waltz of Vienna remains, still today, the absolute model.

Technical Details

Issue Date: 16.03.2017
Designer: Stephane Levalois, Valerie Besser
Process: Taille Douce
Size: 30 x 40.85 mm
Values: 0.73€