Probably the most played Waltz song of all time is “Could I Have This Dance”, by Ann Murray. Number 2 may be “Walk Across Texas”, by Ernest Tubbs and 3rd probably “Their Hearts Are Dancing!”, by the Forrester Sisters. If you don’t have all 3 of these songs then you had better hitch up your giddy up and go down and fetch em!
The waltz is a very old form of dance that came from Europe many centuries ago. That’s even before Bob Lindquist was born! The waltz was originally a partner dance where long gowns and fancy clothes were women. Now country dancers are doing a partner freestyle waltz and many choreographed line dances to waltz songs. The most popular line dance waltz is Waltz Across Texas, to a song done by Ernest Tubbs and later a duet with Willie Nelson.
Originally the waltz was very slow, you could grab your honey and do a slow dance with her while whispering sweet love things in her ear. Can you tell by the way that I am writing that I am in love? Oh, well things like that happen. Back to the story. As country dance exploded so did the tempo or bpm of the songs being selected. While 90 bpm was once considered fast it is now slow and some waltz all the way up to 120 bpm. There are a few faster but very seldom do they use them. I like the 90 to 105 bpm range. You can move a little faster and still put some body styling into it. Watch your crowd if they are mainly partner dancers and over 40 stick with 90 to 105 bpm. If you have a young energetic crowd go on up to 1 15 to 120 bpm.
Don’t let the Waltz rhythm pattern confuse you. The waltz is written in 3/4 time or quarter notes per measure. Each phrase has 1 down beat (count 1) and 2 up beats (count 2-3) in each measure.
There are 2 measures in each phrase in a walk which means each phrase has 6 beats. The first measure is heavy 1-2-3. The second is lighter 4-5-6. You should always start the waltz on the first beat. Thus, calling 4-5-6 starts the dance on the 1 count on the first beat in the first phrase. The Forester Sisters do a waltz called “Their Hearts Are Dancing”. Listen to it and you’ll hear in the song where they sing 1-2-3 and listen to the difference. “Dream on Texas Ladies”, by John Michael Montgomery, is a tricky song to start because it has a change up near the beginning of the song.
Listen to it if you wish and see if you can hear where the pattern was changed. If you start it wrong and your dancers are use to making their moves on a heavy beat they will feel out of sync the whole dance.
Now, the main thing is to keep this here list of songs so if somebody requests a waltz you can look it and smile as you play it. Give me a big yeehaaa when you do cause that’s what Mobile Beats all about, DJ’s helpin DJ’s!
A quick note on the two step article in last issue, thanks for all the positive response! if you didn’t copy it and put it in your case maybe you should check it out. And a thanks to James Chicon of J & K Toons, from Canton Mi. He wrote and pointed out that his subscription to CDX has kept him up to date and he also said “I would like to mention that I think (even though it is a remake), Lee Ann Rimes version of “Unchained Melody” is the best slow song that has come along in a long time. It makes you tingle inside when you hear her sing it. I wish I had more opportunities to play Country Music. I love the New Country Sounds.”Great” comment James, hope to see you and the rest of the DJ’s in Vegas next year. I already have it on my calendar.
Also about that picture at the front of last issue of mobile beat, I want you to know that she was asking me about country dance steps! Who could refuse someone in need of advice!
