Viennese Waltz Dancing is a form of dancing where couples move in a rotary pattern and perform change steps. Viennese Waltz Dancing is the original form of the waltz.

The Viennese waltz is the oldest of the ballroom dances and is performed at a fast tempo. It is a rotary dance where couples are constantly turning clockwise or counterclockwise with non-rotating change steps interspersed throughout to transition between the turns. A true Viennese waltz consists only of turns and change steps.

In ballroom dancing competition, the goal is to be scored higher than the competition by a panel of judges.

The Viennese waltz emerged during the second half of the 18th century with its origins in the waltz and the Landler in Austria. Disapproved of at first because of the lascivious nature of the dance, in that the women's ankles would be exposed during it, the Viennese waltz was accepted and popularized in the early half of the 19th century due in part to the Congress of Vienna. During the 1920s its popularity faded only to reemerge in the 1930s as a folk dance in Germany and Austria. The Viennese waltz is now considered one of the International Standard ballroom dances, and is the oldest of those dances.

Ballroom Attire (competition only)

Beginning dancers are trained in proper step and form which are the basis of the dance. For competition, couples train extensively to learn and perfect their routines.

American Style Viennese Waltz - considered less strict in form and allows more freedoms to the dancers

International Style Viennese Waltz - danced solely in closed position

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Viennese_Waltz