And, had we been there, we would have been (barely) qualified to dance the Viennese Waltz at one of the city's many holiday balls thanks to the teaching of two instructors at Tanzschule Rueff (Dancing School Rueff). Each of us received a certificate from the school confirming we successfully completed a Viennese Waltz class at the school. We are a pretty classy bunch.
Here are the instructors in action:
And here we are learning, and most importantly having a blast!
According to a Vienna information website, each year more than 450 balls take place in the city. On New Year's Eve, guests dance in the New Year at the Hofburg Vienna (Imperial Palace) during the annual New Year's Eve Ball, according to the site. Waltz music was made famous by Johann Strauss more than 150 years ago, and at midnight during many balls his "Fledermaus Quadrille" is often played. Balls usually kick off between 9 p.m. and 10 p.m. with a debutante dance before the Master of Ceremonies announces the ball open and end around 5 a.m. with Strauss's "Radetzkymarsch". A brief history of the Waltz tradition (in 2017 it was added to the UNESCO list of "Austrian intangible cultural heritage" can be found here.
According to another site, the events require elegant evening attire, including long ball gowns for the ladies and tuxedos, tailcoats or black suits for the gents. Ladies also don't need to go solo, as dance partner escorts called "taxi dancers" can be hired. The traditions are fascinating. Check out the sites above for more information and start planning your trip for Ball Season! I know I am.
We didn't need fancy attire for our lesson - just open-minds and joyful spirits which we certainly brought!
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| Elba-Gloria and Carole also had fun learning together! |
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| Lucy and Christian learn the waltz |
Again, happy new year and thank you for reading! Off to practice my Waltz ...
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