Learning to Viennese Waltz

So a little while back I got on the ballroom dancing bandwagon. Growing up with movies like Dirty Dancing, Moulin Rouge, and Strictly Ballroom, it was something I definately wanted to try. So found a great local place that taught classes and started to take lessons.

A friend and I started with the beginning classes, and then moved up to advanced, all with Pro/Am teacher Nikki Morin. Then we started going really nuts...


 At one point we were taking up to 5 classes a week. We even took private lessons with Vladimir Ischenko, the great Ukrainian dance champion who teaches here locally. Vladimir taught us to feel the music by closing our eyes while we danced. He would even turn off the lights in the studio to make sure we did. Following the lead of a guy who you know can't see is quite the challenge, especially for someone with trust issues like me. When learning the waltz, Vladimir wanted us to be able to feel each other's space without relying so heavily on our hand holds to guide us, so he had us practice without using our hands at all -- just reading each other's body language in close contact to guide the process.

All of which is very, very challenging -- especially to a klutz like me. I certainly took my share of spills to the dance floor figuring all this out. Then we had a chance to learn even more steps, including lifts. This was a particular challenge -- since I was a bit larger in size than my partner was at the time, and I couldn't really figure out how he was going to lift me. He seemed enthusiastic though, so we practiced. And practiced. And then we went to a swimming pool to practice -- since lifting in water is much, much easier. And then we got it! The lift in this video we called "The Fish" and even though the guy is doing the physical work I have to land in his arms at just the right angle and hold my body just the right way -- or we fall.

And then after all that work, I stopped. I got busy with other things, and didn't dance really at all.

And then I had a chance to perform a showcase piece for a holiday party, and talked to my friend Chris who showed me the dance and was my partner for the piece. Viennese Waltz is one of the harder dances -- typically considered at least a silver level competition piece. But after a lot of practice and patience, we got it down! (Except for the part in the dance where the music messes up, just ignore that...)

This is among my favorite things I've tried, and I'm so glad to have had the opportunity. I hope to try again soon! All these holiday songs have just the right rhythm... mmmm.