Viennese waltz

Category: International Standard
Also known as: Viennese Waltz, Wiener Walzer
DWTS performances in dataset: 232
Average total score: 26.76
First appearance: Season 5, Week 4 — Mark & Kym (Mr. Bojangles)
Lift rule on DWTS: Not allowed (core ballroom/Latin style on DWTS).

Origins and history

The Viennese waltz is the fast 3/4 turning dance associated with 19th-century Vienna and the Strauss family. Unlike the later Slow Waltz, it keeps a high tempo (around 180 beats per minute) and a smaller figure vocabulary built on continuous natural and reverse turns. It remains one of the five International Standard dances.

Sources

• Wikipedia: Viennese waltz — Vienna / Strauss association; figure set
• WDSF: WDSF Competition Rules — 58–60 bars/min
• Wikipedia: List of DanceSport dances — Standard category

How it is danced

Aspect	Detail
Time signature	3/4
Tempo (MPM)	58–60 (WDSF)
Tempo (BPM, approx.)	174–180
Character	Fast, whirling, continuous rotation; fewer figures than Slow Waltz; breathless elegance.
Hold / frame	Closed Standard hold; posture must survive constant turning.
Basic steps & figures	Natural turn, reverse turn, closed changes, fleckerl (spot turns), contra check. Mostly rotating; limited progressive variety compared with Slow Waltz.
What judges look for	Constant rotation without dizziness-looking collapse, rise on 1, controlled lowering, straight spine, travel; no lifts.

Competition tempi cite WDSF Competition Rules E.3.2 and related DanceSport charts where applicable; theatrical styles are song-driven.

History on Dancing with the Stars

Statistics below are computed from the Data with the Stars SQLite performance and score tables (not invented).

• Times danced: 232
• Score range: 15.0 – 40.0 (total judges’ score as stored)
• Perfect nights (every judging mark = 10): 15

Average score by era

Era	Performances	Average total
S1-10	50	24.2
S11-20	67	26.24
S21-30	82	27.94
S31+	33	28.67

Best scores

• 40.0 — S17 W10: Amber & Derek — Locked Out of Heaven (Bruno Mars)
• 40.0 — S18 W9: Meryl & Maks — Just a Fool (Christina Aguilera & Blake Shelton)
• 40.0 — S24 W10: Rashad & Emma — Dark Times (The Weeknd feat. Ed Sheeran)
• 40.0 — S28 W9: Kel & Witney — I'll Make Love to You (Boyz II Men)
• 39.0 — S20 W8: Riker & Allison — What Now (Rihanna)

Lowest scores

• 15.0 — S9 W1: Macy & Jonathan — (You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman
• 15.0 — S11 W1: Margaret & Louis — We Are the Champions
• 16.0 — S10 W1: Kate & Tony — She's Always a Woman
• 16.0 — S11 W1: Michael & Chelsie — Life After You
• 16.0 — S13 W1: Rob & Cheryl — Lake Michigan

First perfect nights (all marks 10)

• S5 W9: Mel & Maks — Somebody to Love (total 30.0, 3 judges)
• S7 W10: Brooke & Derek — Daughters (total 30.0, 3 judges)
• S11 W10: Jennifer & Derek — These Arms of Mine (total 30.0, 3 judges)
• S12 W10: Chelsea & Mark — Hedwig's Theme (total 30.0, 3 judges)
• S15 W6: Apolo & Karina — Skin (Sarabeth) (total 30.0, 3 judges)

Most-used songs

• She's Always a Woman — Billy Joel (6×)
• The Time of My Life — David Cook (5×)
• Somebody to Love — Queen (4×)
• Trouble — Ray LaMontagne (4×)
• I Have Nothing — Whitney Houston (4×)
• Piano Man — Billy Joel (3×)
• Breakaway — Kelly Clarkson (3×)
• Iris — Goo Goo Dolls (3×)

Charts

• Data CSV: data/viennese-waltz-by-season.csv
• SVG: charts/viennese-waltz-frequency.svg, charts/viennese-waltz-score-trend.svg

Watch top performances

• Elaine Hendrix’s Rock Hall Night Viennese Waltz | Dancing with the Stars — S34 W8, score 37.0, What the World Needs Now is Love
• DWTS Jenna Dewan Honors Her Mom. Viennese Waltz Dance — S35 W6, score 37.0, Unchained Melody
• Lose Control | Dancing with the Stars Live 2024 — S33 W4, score 36.0, Lose Control
• Dylan Efron’s Halloween Night Viennese Waltz | Dancing with the Stars — S34 W7, score 35.0, Can't Help Falling in Love (Dark)
• Danielle Fishel’s Halloween Night Viennese Waltz | Dancing with the Stars — S34 W7, score 33.0, Die with a Smile

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Educational fan reference. Dance histories paraphrased from cited sources; DWTS stats from project data. Not affiliated with BBC Studios or Disney.