Dance for life

Last week there were free dance lessons in the Rotunda of the Powell library... and pukki's that we are (nothing that's free gets left out!), naturally we went for them. We were very casually dressed- just a skirt for the twirly effect, but there were ladies there, grandly dressed, in proper ballroom dresses dating back to the 19th century, and men in Tuxedos; we felt transported to another era!

We just had learnt the basic steps of the Viennese waltz. The seven step slow march, the open waltz, the closed waltz, the turning. And then came the more complicated (and exciting) ArgentinianWaltz which was about half way to a tango.

And then came to Polka and the Military Waltz. Of course we were none of us, experts and we tripped over our own feet and stepped on our partner's toes and had our toes stepped upon. But it was exhilarating all the same... the twirling and the swirling and the swaying and just letting go for a few hours!

And to add to our sense ofdelicious wickedness, they told us about the history of the waltz - how it was a scandal when it was first introduced, with the man and woman standing so close by and possibly being the only time when they could speak unchaperoned! I felt like a girl from a Georgette Heyer!

The waltz was hugely popular for the same reason- it evolved from the landler danced by the peasants in Germany and Austria and got its name from the Italian word volver which means to revolve. It became hugely popular in Vienna( hence the name Viennese Wlatz) where the Strausses both Sr and Jr composed famous waltz tunes including the "Blue Danube". The waltz was a favourite of Queen Victoria as well, although even in her day the aristocracy regarded it as being "improper"! Waltz's over the years have become fasteer ad faster( after ladies got rid of the huge hoop dresses), but we did just the early slower ones.

Next time we may go for swing or salsa... and I'll write again when that's done.