A waltz is a dance in three beats: one strong beat and two light ones. Dancers turn in circles around the room. These 15 waltzes come from ballrooms, ballets, operas, and the piano. Start with “Waltz of the Flowers,” which many children know from The Nutcracker.
Start here
1. “Waltz of the Flowers,” from The Nutcracker, by Tchaikovsky. A harp opens the piece alone. Then the horns play the tune. Read the Nutcracker Suite guide.
2. The Blue Danube, by Johann Strauss. The best-known waltz from Vienna. It starts with a quiet shimmer and a horn call. Read The Blue Danube guide.
3. Waltz, from Sleeping Beauty, by Tchaikovsky. The village dances with garlands of flowers. A film studio later turned this tune into a song for its own Sleeping Beauty. Read the Sleeping Beauty music guide.
4. “The Skaters’ Waltz,” by Waldteufel. Long, gliding notes are the skaters, and sleigh bells ring. Read Waldteufel for kids.
Waltzes from Vienna
5. Tales from the Vienna Woods, by Johann Strauss. Listen for: the zither, a folk instrument with plucked strings, near the start.
6. Emperor Waltz, by Johann Strauss. It begins as a quiet march and then turns into a waltz. Read Johann Strauss for kids and the Vienna New Year’s Concert with kids.
Waltzes for the piano
7. “Minute” Waltz, by Chopin. The right hand spins in circles. Read the Minute Waltz for kids.
8. Waltz in A-flat, Op. 39, No. 15, by Brahms. Short, slow, and gentle. It is closer to a lullaby than to a ballroom dance. Read Brahms for kids.
9. “Chopsticks.” Its real title is “The Celebrated Chop Waltz.” Count it in threes. Read Chopsticks on piano.
Waltzes from the stage
10. Waltz, from Swan Lake, by Tchaikovsky. The prince’s birthday party. Read the Swan Lake listening guide.
11. Waltz, from Coppélia, by Delibes. A girl dances in the village square. Read Coppélia for kids.
12. Waltz, from Cinderella, by Prokofiev. The ball at the palace. The harmony is darker, since midnight is coming. Read Cinderella, the ballet.
13. “Musetta’s Waltz,” from La bohème, by Puccini. A singer shows off at a café. Read Puccini for kids.
Waltzes in a minor key
14. Waltz No. 2, by Shostakovich. A saxophone plays a sad, swaying tune, and then the whole orchestra takes it up. Read Shostakovich for kids.
15. Waltz, from Masquerade, by Khachaturian. Big, dark, and swirling. Read Khachaturian for kids.
What makes a waltz
- Three beats in a bar. Count “ONE, two, three.”
- A low note and two chords. The bass plays on beat one, and a chord answers on beats two and three. Musicians call it “oom-pah-pah.”
- A turning dance. Partners hold each other and spin as they travel around the floor.
- A home in Vienna. The waltz grew out of country dances in Austria and Germany. In the 1800s, Vienna made it famous.
Read time signatures explained and dances in classical music.
Fast, slow, and sad
| Kind | Feels like | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Fast ballroom waltz | One big swing in each bar | The Blue Danube |
| Slow waltz | Three clear, gentle beats | Brahms, Waltz in A-flat |
| Showpiece waltz | Too fast to dance | “Minute” Waltz |
| Minor-key waltz | Sad or mysterious | Shostakovich, Waltz No. 2 |
Things to do together
Step, tap, tap. Take one big step on beat one, and tap the toes on beats two and three.
Sway. Hold hands and sway to one side on each “ONE.”
Scarf circles. Give each child a scarf. Draw one big circle in the air for each bar.
Pat, clap, clap. Pat the knees on beat one, and clap on beats two and three.
March or waltz? Play a march and a waltz. Your child calls out “two” or “three” for the beats. Read famous marches for kids to hear.
Print and play
Print the listening journal page. Read classical music for kids to dance to.
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This article is part of How to introduce kids to classical music.
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Use it with your kids
Print a listening page, a practice chart, or a composer fact sheet. Or try a tool, such as the composer timeline or the piece picker.