International standard waltz

It is danced exclusively in the closed position, unlike its American Style counterpart.

Predecessors include the matenick and a variation called the furiant that were performed during rural festivals in Bohemia.

The French dance, "Walt", and the Austrian Ländler are the most similar to the waltz among its predecessors.

Slow steps and elegant poses are often used to contrast fast-paced dance segments, resulting in what is sometimes referred to as light and shade.

This is the Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing (ISTD) International Standard syllabus.