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The walzer -

The waltz has its origins in the walzer, a dance for couples that emerged around 1750 in peasant villages in Germany's Bavaria and Austria's Tyrol and Styria  regions.

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The ländler -

The dance later evolved into the ländler, which was popular in Bavaria, Austria, German Switzerland, and Slovenia at the end of the 18th century.

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The waltz finds favor -

Eighteenth-century upper classes meanwhile continued to dance the minuets (such as those by Mozart, Haydn, and Handel). However, by the beginning of the 19th century, the waltz was finding favor with a wider public across Europe. In France, for example, stylish members of the Parisian upper class, the so-called bon chic bon genre, were dancing the waltz. Pictured is 'The waltz' from the series 'Le Bon Genre,' 1801.

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The waltz makes it to America -

By 1820, the dance had made its way over to the United States. Pictured is a sheet music cover image of 'A New Waltz Cotillion,' a piece for piano performed in New York City in 1838.

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Johann Strauss II (1825–1899) -

Born in Austria and known as the "Waltz King," Johann Strauss II (son of the famed Johann Strauss I) was largely responsible for the popularity of the waltz in Vienna during the 19th century. However, the dance had its critics and was not completely accepted throughout the nation. This was due mainly on moral grounds with many objecting to its close-hold stance and fast-turning movements. Religious leaders regarded it as vulgar and sinful.

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'The Blue Danube' -

'The Blue Danube,' or 'An der schönen, blauen Donau,' is a waltz written by Johann Strauss I in 1866 and played for the first time on February 15, 1867 in Vienna. One of the most consistently popular pieces of music in the classical repertoire, 'The Blue Danube' is immediately associated with the dance. Pictured is sheet music of 'The Blue Danube,' written in Strauss' hand.

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Vienna Opera Ball -

The Vienna Opera Ball is a glitzy society event that takes place annually in the building of the Vienna State Opera. The first ball in the opera house took place in 1877 as a soirée.

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Waltzing through the Anschluss -

The first ball to be named "Opera Ball" was held in 1935. The event continued after the Anschluss, the annexation of Austria into Nazi Germany on March 12, 1938, but was suspended during the Second World War.

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Dress code -

The Vienna Ball Opera dress code is evening dress: white tie and tails for men; strictly floor-length gowns for women. Pictured are couples dancing the 'Kaiserwalzer' ("Emperor's Waltz") in 1957.

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Opening ceremony -

The highlight of the opening ceremony is the introduction of 180 debutante couples (white opera gloves are still mandatory for female debutantes). Pictured is the 2006 opening ceremony.

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The last dance -

Music by Frédéric Chopin and Johann Strauss II features prominently. The last dance of the debutantes, however, is always 'The Blue Danube,' after which the floor is opened to all guests.

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All-area access -

The opera house offers all access to guests, with various other rooms and lounges open with different types of music and dance.

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Celebrity guests -

The ball is one of the highlights of the Viennese carnival season and attracts big name celebrities. Pictured is Italian actress Sophia Loren.

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Fans of the waltz -

Celebrities that perhaps you wouldn't normally associate with such a high-brow event sometimes make a surprise appearance. Here's musician Bob Geldof, with a fan, attending the 2011 event.

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'Waltzing Matilda' -

'Waltzing Matilda' is Australia's best-known bush ballad. The original lyrics were written in 1895 by Australian poet Banjo Paterson. The title refers to Australian slang for traveling on foot (waltzing) with one's belongings in a "matilda" (swag tent) slung over one's back. Pictured is the original manuscript, transcribed by Christina Macpherson, who wrote the music, c. 1895. The document is housed in the National Museum of Australia.

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'Gold Diggers of 1933' (1933) -

Hollywood capitalized on the waltz early on. In this scene from 'Gold Diggers of 1933,' costumed dancers perform the 'Shadow Waltz,' a set piece choreographed by Busby Berkeley.

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'Escapade' (1935) -

A large group of people dressed in formal period costumes dance a waltz in a ballroom in a still from director Robert Z. Leonard's film 'Escapade,' which is set in Vienna in the 1900s and stars William Powell and Luise Rainer.

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'The Sound of Music' (1965) -

'The Sound of Music' features a scene where Maria (Julie Andrews) and Captain von Trapp (Christopher Plummer) dance a ländler.

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Film star moves -

And even when film stars aren't working, some still like to dance. Here's French actress Catherine Deneuve twirling the waltz with dancer and socialite Jacques Chazot.

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Acting together -

Amy Adams waltzes with Patrick Dempsey during MTV's 'Total Request Live' at the MTV Times Square Studios in New York City on November 2007.

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The Broadway waltz -

In 1981, screen legend Katharine Hepburn appeared on stage at the Broadway Ethel Barrymore Theatre in 'The West Side Waltz.'

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'Waltz of the Snowflakes' -

Snowflakes fall as ballet dancers perform the 'Waltz of the Snowflakes' from Tchaikovsky's 'The Nutcracker.'

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Waltzing for the audience -

Dancers waltz among the audience as Dutch violinist and conductor André Rieu performs on stage with his Johann Strauss Orchestra at the Ziggo Dome in Amsterdam in January 2017. 

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African waltz -

Women dancing a waltz on the grounds of Bafut Palace in Cameroon. The palace embodies Bafut cultural identity and remains a center for religious rites and traditional ceremonies.

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Mass waltz -

Middle-school students dance a mass waltz on a playground at Kuiwen Experimental School in Weifang, in China's Shandong Province.

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Largest waltz -

People take part in a waltz world record attempt on May 3, 2009 in Bath, England. The 630 dancers representing 315 couples beat the previous record of 484 people and 242 couples, while dancing the waltz simultaneously. This record was shattered in December 2018, when the largest waltz consisting of 1,598 pairs was achieved by Comune di Trieste in Trieste, Italy.

Sources: (Concert Vienna) (Britannica) (Semper Opernball) (World Monuments Fund) (Guinness World Records)

See also: The greatest dance movies of all time

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