Morgan Cogo ‘25, Entertainment Editor
Since the writing of the Congress of Vienna, the city of waltzes has been famous for its legendary balls as
each year, more than 450 balls take place in Vienna. The city celebrates Carnival in January and February with
extreme enthusiasm. The Vienna ball season starts punctually at the beginning of Carnival with public dancing of
the waltz in the city center and reaches its peak in January and February. The old tradition of Carnival balls
continues to thrive in the city.
A staple in the celebrations is the Viennese waltz; the Viennese waltz is characterized by sweeping,
graceful turns that rotate quickly around the floor. Although it shares many similarities to the slow waltz, it is
danced at a much faster tempo that is twice the speed of the slow waltz, it is actually the fastest of all the ballroom
dances. This makes for an interesting performance, especially when done with large groups in unison. The waltz
which means ‘to turn’ was originally created to make ambassadors more amicable about settling the chaos that
transpired after former Emporer of the French Napoleon Bonapart’s retirement. Yet, now, it has grown into a
patented art form revered and honored by generations of dancers and audiences alike.
German students from SLHS and SLEHS have learned the basics of the Viennese waltz thanks to an
opportunity given by German teachers Brian Sole and Fernando Carduccio. “I really enjoyed how much easier it
was to learn, the instructor made it super fun,” junior Harlie Hamilton said. “I thought it would be a unique
experience for German students to learn the basic steps of the waltz, so I invited the ballroom instructor to come and
teach the German classes. This year was the second year we held the experience and I hope to continue going each
year.” German teacher Brian Sole said.
The Viennese waltz is a captivating dance that has transcended centuries, connecting people from the past
to the present, and will continue to do so in the future. With the recent field trip on March 1 to learn the waltz,
German students were able to experience a timeless and culturally significant dance.
Lyon Life 