Video Workshop: Waltz Leg and Body Timing

People tend to think Waltz is an easy dance. That’s because they are familiar with the idea of Waltz from seeing it in movies and elsewhere. In reality it’s not easy to master.

This 45-minute workshop gets right down to the nitty gritty foundation in the most basic figures of the Waltz. As Vince Lombardi famously told the Green Bay Packers as he started to coach the team that would go on to win five championships, "This is a football." We look at very detailed leg timing and weight transfer, as well as body action and timing in basic Waltz figures such as the Natural Turn, Change Steps, and Reverse Turn.

In basic Waltz figures, and even many more challenging figures, we begin to rise at the end of beat One, continue to rise on beat Two, and even continue to rise on beat Three. This last part is often missed by dancers, who lower on beat Three. We lower at the end of beat Three, in preparation for the movement that begins on the next One beat. Stepping forward, we begin to compress on the first part of beat One, prior to moving, while beginning to apply CBM, or Contra Body Movement. Body weight is controlled by remaining in the center of the feet on beat Two and through beat Three, even as the feet close. Going backward, we allow the non-standing leg to move out of the way of our partner so that they can freely fill that space.

This video is suitable for all skill levels and available to all Delta Dance members. You can learn about memberships here.