Move · Videos · Technique · 30 min

Seven Beginner Waltz Steps for Weddings and Socials

Seven Beginner Waltz Steps for Weddings and Socials — video by Social Dance Online Play · 29:50

Video by Social Dance Online on YouTube · Open on YouTube

Brian and Megan, teaching social dancers for almost 20 years, take a couple chapter by chapter through the American waltz: box, progressive, hesitation, turning boxes, underarm turn, front-to-front and twinkle, ending with a practice routine.

  • 30 min
  • Beginner
  • Low impact (no jumping)
  • No equipment
  • Ballroom

Good forDancing for fun

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Step by step 14

Tap a time to watch that step in the video.

  1. Box step: forward, side, together, back, side, together; leaders start forward left, followers back right. 1:19
  2. Rise and lower: forward with a slight heel lead, then the balls of the feet on two and three, lowering at the end. 2:10
  3. Frame: leader's right elbow up with the hand around the follower's back, left hand at the follower's eye level. 2:56
  4. Stay offset, each looking over the other's right shoulder, with the leader's right foot outside the follower's. 4:12
  5. Progressive: forward on the left, side, together, then forward on the right, travelling anticlockwise. 5:26
  6. Hesitation: step slowly on one and draw the other foot in over two and three; the follower matches the pace. 7:48
  7. Left turning box: the box with a quarter turn to the left on each half, aiming to face each wall in turn. 10:00
  8. Right turning box: half a progressive first to free the leader's right foot, then quarter turns to the right. 13:03
  9. Underarm turn: a box, then half a left turning box as the follower curves out and around, then a box. 15:33
  10. Common mistake: the follower turning back too soon; leaders send the follower out and down the line first. 18:04
  11. Front to front, back to back: from the underarm turn, step on the free foot facing the way you travel. 19:06
  12. Twinkle: from closed hold, turn your feet and heads to the direction of travel into promenade, then back. 23:11
  13. Twinkle with chasse: add a quicker 'one, two-and-three' in promenade, the leader moving a little faster. 25:55
  14. Practice routine: dance the moves one after another in a single sequence. 28:09

The steps are a summary in our words, checked against the video — the coach shows every move.

Form cues from the coach

  • Box step: leader forward, side, together, then back, side, together; followers start back on the right
  • Keep a strong frame: leader's right elbow up and left hand at eye level; the follower rests a hand lightly on the leader's arm
  • Stay offset, looking over your partner's shoulder, with your right foot outside theirs

What it works

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Joints it uses light on the joints

  • Shoulders movesholding the partner frame throughout
  • Hips movesbox, progressive, hesitation, twinkle
  • Knees movesbox steps, rise and fall, pivots and turns
  • Ankles & feet movesrise and fall on the balls of the feet

A guide to the joints this video’s moves load, from what the coach does — not medical advice. Some ache is normal; stop if a joint hurts sharply. How joints are rated

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Video by Social Dance Online; the summary, steps, cues, body areas and joint notes are Notbroken’s, written from what the coach actually does in the video and checked a second time. Warm up first, take the easier options until a move feels easy, and stop if you feel sharp pain, chest pain or dizziness. General instruction, not advice for your body. About & safety