THE VALSE

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                The German Valse was just another way of saying Waltz. Germany pronounced 'W" as a "V". The La Valse à deux temps made its first appearance at the Court of Vienna, and was-danced in Paris at the Opera halls. La Valse à deux temps was introduced at the soirées in Berlin, St. Petersburg, and London in 1813. This Waltz became more popular than all the others at the time and it became very popular about the 1850s.

    In the carnival of 1832 it was danced by the corps de ballet, when it met with a very indifferent reception. Six months after this, at Baden-Baden, (Germany) it was danced by all the fashionable company there assembled, and was very favorably received. At the close of the season, when the members of the assemblies, which consisted of the élite's of Europe, returned to their respective capitals, The step of the La Valse à deux temps (three steps, not two) was the same as that of the Gallop of the time, the difference only being in the accentuation, as it is danced to waltz music. The English Valse is said to be done extremely smooth.

     The Hungarian Valse, The national dance was the Valse of the Hungarians performed on festive occasions with equal zest by the magnates and the peasants. It is characterized by simplicity and elegance, and has always been received with pleasure when presented in ballets. Gioacchino Rossini (1792-1868) caused its introduction based on the play by Schillerin, in his opera of "Guillaume Tell" (William Tell) in 1829, Paris.

    Valse L' Americaine was first composed in 1866 by the Societe' Academique des Profeseurs de danse de Paris. (Probably was the Boston, which was introduced in 1834 in the USA.)

    Redowa Valse: Done in 3/4 time was introduced to Paris in 1884. It originated out of the Redowak Redowa) from Bohemia.
Polka Valse: , was done in 2/4 time.

    Cartier Says:
"The Hesitation Valse 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) 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."

    L. D. G. Brookes writes in his book ...
"We find in Chapman's "Alphonsus , Emperor of Germany," the following lines: "We Germans have no changes in our dances, an Almain and an upspring, that is all." The upspring was the origin of the modern Valse, which was for a long time put down by Papal power. Although long danced in Bavaria, under the name of "Landler ," or "Hospur ," it did not become fashionable until 1787, when Vincent Martin' s opera, "The Cosarara ," drove from the Viennese stage Mozart's "Figaro." Four characters in this opera, dressed in black and pink, danced the first Valse, or "Langaus," as it was then called, on the stage thence it migrated to the ballrooms, and ere long all Germany went wild about the Valse. Weber, then in his prime, wrote his "Invitation to the Dance," and in a short time the whole fashionable society of Germany was spinning around like testotums. Presently the waltz made its way to England, and Lord Byron tried to write it out of favor, in which he did not succeed. The German Valse was much improved when the elder Strauss took it under his protection, and wrote the most danceable tunes for it".

    for additional info ...SEE WALTZ FOR NOW!

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the Basic Step to: "The Valse à deux temps" (excerpted from Coulon's Handbook in 1873):

The lady waltzes after the same manner with this exception, that the first time she slides to the right with her right foot, and makes the chassé also on the right. She then continues the same as the gentleman, but à Contre pied, that is, she slides with her right foot backwards, when the gentleman slides with his left foot to the left; and when the gentleman slides with his right foot backwards, she slides with her left foot to the left. One of the first principles of this waltz is never to jump, but only to slide. The knees must be kept slightly bent and the steps must be made rather wide." End.