Waltz with Rise and Fall

Waltz is the dance that makes us all feel graceful and elegant.  But part of the reason we feel that way is the "rise and fall" of Waltz.  Our job as dancers is always to translate, respond, and reflect whatever the musicians are playing.  Listen to a waltz and you will hear how the 1 beat is emphasized.  Remember the song "Oom-Pah-Pah" from Oliver?  Down goes the 1-beat and up goes the 2, up a little higher goes the 3.  And that's what we do as dancers.

Doing the Box Step with Rise and Fall:

1 -  Extend your left leg completely, and step forward on the heel.  As your weight transfers to the foot, soften your knee - "the fall"

2 - Extend your right leg to the side and transfer the weight to the ball of the foot, keeping your heel off the floor.  You are beginning "the rise" on the 2-beat.

3 - Bring your left foot "together", next to your right, and transfer the weight.  As the left foot is coming closer to the right, you are rising on the toe of the right foot.  By the time your weight is transferred to the left foot you are at your highest "rise" at the beginning of count 3.  Then lower to the heel of the left foot at the end of 3, preparing for the next 1 - the "fall".

1 - Extend your right leg back, taking the step on the toe, then rolling to a flat foot.  Once again you are softening the knee, or lowering, as the weight is transferred to the foot.  Take the next 2 beat the same way as before, the next 3 (together) the same way as before, remembering to lower at the end of 3.

It is important to extend the leg completely before softening the knee.  You can't take a short cut and take the step on a bent knee!!  Remember that your steps should always be larger for slower music.  A Box Step in Waltz should be larger than a Box Step in Fox Trot, and a Box Step in Rhumba is even smaller because of the Latin motion. 

Rise and Fall is easy once you get the hang of it, and it definitely adds that lovely feeling of grace and ease that has made Waltz the dance we traditionally turn to for all major life events.  So roll up the rug and practice.......Down Up Up, Down Up Up!!!