Waltz

High school (ages 12+)
Art & Creativity

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/waltz

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the dance family?European ballroom dance, originating from folk dances like the Ländler
2. What is the musical meter?Characterized by 3/4 time signature, creating a distinctive lilting rhythm
3. Why did people in Vienna think the waltz was naughty at first?They were worried about the close embrace and fast turns, which seemed too intimate and too quick for polite society.
4. How does the waltz music help dancers move?The music is in 3/4 time, so each beat feels like ONE-two-three, giving a steady rhythm that lets dancers turn and step in a smooth pattern.

Ländler: An Austrian folk dance that predates and influenced the development of the waltz.
3/4 Time Signature: A musical meter with three beats per measure, where the first beat is typically emphasized.
International Standard Ballroom: A category of ballroom dance emphasizing closed positions and elegant movement.
American Smooth Ballroom: A ballroom dance style allowing for open positions and more dynamic choreography.