Best Waltz Songs for Beginner Dancers

Why Song Choice Matters for Learning Waltz

There are two waltzes on a ballroom floor, and they move at very different speeds. The slow waltz, called simply Waltz in both International Standard and American Smooth, is the one beginners learn first. The Viennese waltz is roughly twice as fast and is usually taught later.

Both are in 3/4 time: three beats to every measure, with the accent on beat one. What separates them is tempo. Slow waltz is danced at about 28 to 30 measures per minute, which is 84 to 90 beats per minute (BPM). American Smooth Waltz runs a little quicker, at 90 to 96 BPM in competition. Viennese waltz is danced at 56 to 58 measures per minute, or 168 to 174 BPM.

That difference is why music choice matters so much. A song that suits one waltz is unusable for the other, and many of the most famous waltzes in the world are Viennese.

A good beginner waltz song has three things: a steady tempo in the slow-waltz range, a clear accent on beat one, and a melody that does not speed up and slow down mid-phrase.

Five Slow Waltzes to Practice With

Each of these is widely danced as a slow waltz, and our music library holds several recordings of every one. Recordings vary, so check the version you choose with the song analyzer before you rely on its tempo.

"Edelweiss"

Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II wrote "Edelweiss" for The Sound of Music (1959). It is short, gentle and completely regular, which makes it ideal for drilling a box step or closed changes without the music surprising you.

"Moon River"

Henry Mancini and Johnny Mercer wrote "Moon River" for the 1961 film Breakfast at Tiffany's. The melody moves in long, even phrases that line up naturally with the rise and fall of waltz, and the accent on beat one is easy to hear. It is a slow-waltz favorite at social dances.

"Fascination"

Fermo Dante Marchetti first published "Fascination" in 1904 as a piano waltz titled "Valse Tzigane," and the song version that followed has been a ballroom standard ever since. Recordings range from Nat King Cole's vocal version to strict-tempo ballroom orchestras. Choose a ballroom orchestra recording when you are starting out, because the tempo stays put from start to finish.

"Come Away With Me"

Norah Jones's 2002 song is slow and unhurried, and the original recording is in 3/4. Many students find it easier to relax into than older orchestral music. She has also performed it in 4/4, so make sure the version you choose is the original or a ballroom recording. Several ballroom orchestras have recorded strict-tempo versions labeled for slow waltz.

"Could I Have This Dance"

Anne Murray's 1980 country waltz, written by Wayland Holyfield and Bob House and featured in the film Urban Cowboy, is a popular first dance at weddings for good reason. It has a strong, even pulse and a simple, singable melody.

Why the Famous Strauss Waltzes Are the Wrong Speed for a First Lesson

The waltzes most people can hum are Viennese, and they are played far faster than a slow waltz:

• "The Blue Danube," Johann Strauss II, Op. 314 (1867)
• "Tales from the Vienna Woods," Johann Strauss II, Op. 325 (1868)
• "Wiener Blut" ("Vienna Blood"), Johann Strauss II, Op. 354 (1873)
• "Gold and Silver," Franz Lehár, Op. 79 (1902)

These are Viennese waltzes, danced at about 168 to 174 BPM in competition and 150 to 180 BPM socially. Put one on to practice a slow-waltz box step and the music will run at roughly twice the speed you expect.

Tchaikovsky's "Waltz of the Flowers," from The Nutcracker (1892), is often suggested too. It is a concert waltz written for the stage rather than the ballroom, and recordings vary widely in tempo, so measure any version before you dance to it.

These pieces are still worth hearing. Play them while you count 1-2-3 out loud to absorb the lilt of triple time. Viennese waltz itself, with its continuous turning, is usually taught once the slow waltz feels comfortable.

How Fast Should a Beginner Practice?

The target for slow waltz is 84 to 90 BPM, but you do not have to start there. Practicing below full tempo is a common way to learn new figures: it gives you time to feel each step, each rise and fall, and each change of weight.

• Below 84 BPM: Useful for learning. Slow practice is how most dancers build clean footwork.
• 84 to 90 BPM: Slow-waltz tempo. Aim for this once a figure is comfortable.
• 90 to 96 BPM: American Smooth Waltz competition tempo. Work up to it if you are training in American style.

Use our song analyzer to measure a recording before you practice to it. Different recordings of the same song can differ by ten beats per minute or more.

Building Your Beginner Waltz Playlist

A practical beginner playlist has three parts:

1. Foundation pieces (3 to 4 songs): Steady slow waltzes you return to again and again, such as "Edelweiss" and "Moon River."

2. Variety pieces (4 to 5 songs): Other slow waltzes at a similar tempo, so practice stays fresh.

3. Stretch pieces (2 to 3 songs): Recordings toward the top of the range, for when your figures feel solid.

Start with "Edelweiss," add "Moon River," and build from there.

Songs to Avoid as a Beginner

Not every piece described as a waltz is good practice music:

• Viennese waltzes: Beautiful, but about twice the slow-waltz tempo. Save them for listening, or for when you learn Viennese waltz.
• Music with rubato: Pieces that speed up and slow down for expression, as concert performances often do, make it hard to keep time.
• Pieces that are not in steady 3/4 at all: Debussy's "Clair de Lune" is written in 9/8 and is played with heavy rubato, and Ralph Vaughan Williams's "The Lark Ascending" opens and closes with free, unmeasured violin passages. Both are lovely, and neither gives a dancer a steady pulse to count.
• Arrangements with long, free introductions: Wait for the 3/4 pulse to settle before you start dancing.

The Role of Musicality Training

Learning waltz is as much about hearing the music as moving to it. Count 1-2-3 out loud while you listen and you will start to anticipate where each phrase begins and ends, which matters a great deal in partner dancing. Our guide on why every dancer needs basic musical training goes further.

Your Next Steps

Begin with one slow waltz, such as "Edelweiss," and listen to it every day for a week, even when you are not dancing. Then add one new song each week. Waltz music is usually built in phrases of eight measures, so try counting the measures from 1 to 8 and notice where each new phrase begins.

Celebrate small wins: holding your frame through a whole phrase, starting a figure on beat one, or simply feeling relaxed instead of tense.

Sources

• DVIDA International Standard Bronze, "Musical Information Chart," Introductory volume, p. 27 (© 2013). Slow waltz 28 measures per minute, with 28 to 30 permitted for Pro/Am events; Viennese waltz 56 to 58 measures per minute.
• DVIDA American Smooth, "Musical Information Chart," Bronze Introductory (© 2014) and Silver Introductory (© 2015). American Smooth Waltz 30 to 32 measures per minute.
• Social Viennese waltz range of 150 to 180 BPM: dancelifemusic.com, "Official Tempi Per Dance," a compilation citing NDCA, USISTD, WDSF, USA Dance, WDC and UCWDC.