The Glide waltz (1870's) held a popularity until the advent of the Hesitation Waltz and Ragtime music. The Hesitation Waltz is a variation of the Boston waltz (a two step count fwd and back waltz) around 1880. The Hesitation Waltz gets its name from the "Pause or Hesitation" in the music. This music along with the Boston or "drop step Boston" formed the Hesitation. Although he Hesitation originally only had ten variations it did not last long because the dance became too difficult to do as it originally had many backbreaking and leg breaking contortions added to it. Many instructors were creating too many figures (by public demand) and eventually they became too difficult for the average dancer to do. The Hobble Skirt was the dress of choice for the ladies to dance the Hesitation.
The Hesitation Valse (1880s) is a variety of the true Valse that can very easily be performed once the Valse is known. Defined in a nutshell,
the "Hesitation" is a halt on one foot (with the other foot suspended in the air or a dragging motion) during the whole "1-2-3" of the beat of the music, or during the "2-3" only of every alternate "1-2-3." The ways of performing the "hesitation" are many and varied, and no way can be said to be more orthodox or correct than any other. It's popularity soared into the 1910s and by 1913 was one of the main dances done with the exhibition dance teams of the time and rag-dancing. By 1914 it wa being replaced by a new dance called the Dream Hesitation which won the contest for new dances of the year.
In 1913 Albert Newman created the Hesitation Boston (One Step per Measure) which merged with the Boston, in which he used a pattern he called the "The Stroll" he states: Gracefully walk backward four steps, starting with the left foot one measure, right foot one measure, left foot one measure and right foot one measure. Now walk forward to the left oblique, having the lady in Yale Position four steps (left foot one measure, right foot one measure, left foot one measure, right foot one measure). Second Part.-- Boston Turning to the right four measures". This is also very similar to the stroll of the 1960's.
In London the Boston was also called the Berceuse or Cradle Boston which was the form of Boston most popular at the time and reportedly the most difficult dance for the ballroom on account of the simplicity of its composition. It depended entirely upon each individual to create a most graceful dance, from actually only one step to the measure, and to rotate progressively around the room. After a little practice by the beginner it will be noticed that there was not much progression in this movement, and that it was quite difficult to move as quickly around the room as in the old dance (the Waltz and the Two-step); so it was necessary to add a few other movements which will bring about the desired result, Such as the Spanish Boston and the Herring Bone Boston which was taught for several years, closely resembling the Hesitation Waltz which was so popular at the time. The Canter Waltz was basically two steps per measure. One of the leading exponents of the Hesitation in the 1910's was Maurice Mouvet who had a Hesitation Waltz song dedicated to him with the Castles following the way. Many internet articles give credit to the Castles as inventing the Hesitation, but is not correct, however their version did make it much more popular. The hesitation waltz merged with the Boston and today is just a variation of the Waltz and is one popular choice of the traditional 'First Dance' songs used in Weddings.
Because of the Hesitation Waltzes popularity many other dances were designed to include Hesitations such as the Hesitation Tango which came shortly after the Hesitation Waltz popularity in the 1910's and the Hesitation Boston, Hesitation One-step and others.
USA
1880 (1913)
Albert Newman
BALLROOM
Carmelita - Spanish Hes. (Rybak)
$ Always and Forever (L. Vandross) [mp3]
1914: Bluebird Waltz Hesitation
Barcarole (Waltz Hesitation) [mp3]
1914: Dreams at Sunset (Losey)
$ Can't Help Falling in Love (E. Presley)
1915: Geraldine - Valse-Hes (Lodge)
Cecile (Waltz Hesitation)
1914: Hacienda
Dreaming (Boston Hesitation)
1914: Irresistible Hesitation Waltz
Ebb Tide (Righteous Bro.) [mp3]
1914: Just A Moment! (Alstyne)
Esmeralda (Waltz Hesitation, Castle's)
Flame Of Love
1914: La Pauza
1914: Maurice's L' Hesitation
Friends For Life (Debbie Boone) [mp3]
1914: Merry Madness (Allen)
1914: My Lady Jane
1914: Skylark
1914: Society Hesitation
$ 1993: Hesitation Waltz
L'Estudiantina [mp3]
Valse Boston Hesitation
Valse June Hesitation
Love Thoughts
Millicent (Waltz Hesitation)
Passing of Saloma
Tango - Hesitation
Valse Marguerite (James R. Europe)
When you're away from the only girl
The Occasional's - Back in Step
$ Wizards & Wildmen CD (HW)
$ Gloria Cheng: Piano Dance CD (HT)
$ Barber: Complete Solo Piano (HT)
Broadway Theatre (1908)
1908 - A Waltz Dream
Casino Theatre (1911)
1911 - The Kiss Waltz
Century Theatre (1921)
1921 - The Last Waltz
Majestic Theatre (1937)
~
LOC - Standard Waltz recreation Clip (Free)
Bowery Waltz
Teaching McFadden to Waltz
Percy Learns to Waltz
Von Weber's Last Waltz
Magic Waltz
Hesitation Waltz
Strauss, the Waltz King
The Dream Waltz
The Waltz King
Waltzes from Vienna
Waltz Time
Farewell Waltz
Invitation to the Waltz
Royal Waltz
The Last Waltz
Champagne Waltz
Great Waltz [DVD | VHS]
Waltz Melodies
The Old Waltz
Tauber Waltz Time [VHS]
Valse brillante
Paris Waltz: Yvonne Printemps [VHS]
Walzer von Strauss
Bartered Bride / Last Waltz [VHS]
The Great Waltz [DVD | VHS]
The Mephisto Waltz [DVD | VHS | Download] non-dance-film
The Last Waltz [DVD | VHS]
Aeroplane Waltz
Maxixe
Schottische
Valse Boston
Gavotte
Mazurka
Tango
Viennese Waltz
Boston, The
Glide Waltz
Turkey Trot
Waltz
Grizzly Bear
One Step
Two-Step
Walzen
Canter Waltz
Polka
Valse
Wedding Waltz
Castle Walk
Lame Duck
Quickstep
Fox-Trot
March
Parisienne Kick Hesitation
The Dow Hesitation
Castle Hesitation
Pivot Hesitation
The Stately Hesitation
Dream Hesitation
Maori Hesitation
Sebastian Hesitation
Half Time Waltz
Maurice Hesitation
Swallow Hesitation
Harvard Hesitation Waltz
The Dip Hesitation
Hesitation
Ocean Roll Hesitation
Open Hesitation
A.P. Furman
Nicholas Magallanes
Arthur Murray
Radie Furman (AP's daughter)
Florence Walton
Tanaquil Le Clerq
The Castles
Gene Eppley (!914)
Handbook of Ballroom Dancing
Cartier, P.
1888
DeWitt
$ The Tango and Other Up to Date Dances
Hopkins, J. S.
1914
Saalfield Pub. Co.
$ Modern Dancing
Castle, Vernon
World Syndicate Co
Moving Picture Book
Liggett & Myers
n/a
$ Social dancing of today
Kinney, Margaret
Frederick A. Stokes
$ The modern dances
Walker, Caroline
Saul brothers
Hesitation Waltz Basic Steps: (c.1888) Men start Left foot forward, Ladies do opposite below: Main Variation: do basic waltz then step three times ("1--2-3"), then do a single step ("1") and hesitate ("2-3"). It will be seen that the first step leading to the hesitation is always performed in this variety with the right foot; and that it is the right foot always that is suspended in the air (1880s) during the hesitation. Modern way is step one, bring Left Foot together on two with no weight placed and hold that position for three. Second Variation: Take one step forward with the left foot (to the whole beat "1-2.3" of the music), then a similar step forward with the right foot ("1--2-3"), rook backwards ("1--2-3"), rock forwards ("1--2-3), basically a one step waltz for three beats variation, then continue waltzing. Third Variation: Boston addition: Do the above step twice, then go into the plain Boston for four beats. ' In case any one is not familiar with the Boston, it is a case of stepping back and forth to the music of one, two, three, but only stepping one two,; one - two forward back, 1-2 forward back, and when you can do that you count the same and pivot around as in a plain waltz.
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