Come celebrate all things WALTZ and More!
Waltz Week in Vienna
Feb 16-23, 2025
...in beautiful Vienna, Austria
8 days, 2 balls, 1 incredible trip!
Waltz Week in Vienna is the ultimate in elegant dance adventures -- a truly incredible travel, play, & workshop experience!
The week is specifically designed for dancers who not only want to experience the elegance, beauty, and grandeur of waltz season in Vienna, but who would also love to do so in the company of a fun group of like-minded fellow travel-adventurers!
During Waltz Week, we use Vienna as our veritable playground -- exploring the city's beauty, enjoying unique dining opportunities, attending dance classes together, taking part in exchanges with other local dance schools, attending balls, and much more!
On Friday we culminate the week with an elegant grand ball at the beautiful Hofburg Imperial Palace, the crown jewel of Vienna's magnificent edifices where waltz balls have been a celebrated tradition since the days of Mozart and Strauss! On Saturday, we do it all again at the Rathaus!
SPECIAL for 2025: Waltz Week runs from Sun-Sun, Feb 16-23, 2025. If you have an opportunity to extend your stay in Europe for a few days, consider shifting into "swing" mode and joining Ari & Christine in Munich from Feb 27-Mar 2 for "Rock That Swing", Europe's largest swing dance festival -- Not to be missed! (Please Note: Registration for Rock That Swing has not opened yet, but we will let you know when it does)
THE OFFICIAL "WALTZ WEEK" BALLS:
As a group, plan to get tickets for the "Wiener Kaffeesiederball" ("The Coffee Makers Ball") taking place at the Hofburg Palace on Friday, Feb 21st and the "Berufsfeuerwehr Ball" (The "Firemen's" Ball) taking place at the Rathaus on Saturday, Feb 22nd. These will be a delightful finish to our week of workshops and play (See details below). PLEASE NOTE: These Balls sell out quickly, so we need to get your payment in before Oct 30th to guarantee you a spot. We will arrange the tickets for you as part of Waltz Week.
BALL ATTIRE :
1) KAFFEESIEDERBALL (Friday, Feb 21):
=> LADIES: Large ball gown or floor length evening dress
=> GENTLEMEN: Tails or tuxedos with bow tie, or gala uniform (formal military dress)
*They reserve the right to refuse entrance to anyone not properly attired
2) BERUFSFEURWEHR BALL (Sat, Feb 22)
=> LADIES & GENTLEMEN: Evening wear is requested
*They are a little more relaxed than the Friday Ball and won't refuse you entrance
if you are wearing a jacket and tie.
ADDITIONAL BALLS BEFORE OR AFTER WALTZ WEEK?
There may be more balls announced as the time draws near -- We will update this site as we learn more. Keep checking back if you are interested in exploring these options.
NOTE:
In order for us to buy tickets for you to the Waltz Week Balls, your tickets must be ordered through our website by October 30th. This will ensure enough time for our Vienna team to purchase and collect them as needed. Tickets ordered after October 30th cannot be guaranteed. We will do our best to get them for you, but these balls can sell out quickly once the box office opens. You will be refunded in full for any tickets which you paid for but could not be obtained. Tickets for the Wiener Kaffeesiederball and the Berufsfeurwehr Ball can be purchased during checkout.
ADDENDUM (Nov 21, 2024): Online Tickets for the Kaffeesiederball are now sold out. We can still purchase tickets in town at brick & mortar shops, but these are not guaranteed. We will do our best to get you Ball tickets, but most of the Balls are selling out early this year. This is one trip where it pays to register early!
PRICING - HOW IT WORKS:
A) "WALTZ WEEK" BASELINE PRICING (Early Bird Special, Good Through Sept 15):
DANCER'S PACKAGE: $785
NON-DANCER'S PACKAGE $395
B) "VIENNESE BALL" TICKET (See "Ball" section for details)
1) Friday, Feb 21st: Wiener Kaffeesiederball (in the Hofburg Palace): $215
2) Saturday, Feb 22nd: The Berufsfeuerwehr Ball (in the Rathaus): $85
C) PLEASE NOTE:
All Ball tickets must be ordered through our website by November 1, 2024 to ensure enough time for our Vienna team to purchase and collect them. Tickets for any of the other balls outside of those offered for Waltz Week must be arranged on your own.
Partnering for the Viennese Ball:
Please note: you do NOT need a partner to attend Waltz Week in Vienna. This is one of the main reasons we established this fabulous event -- so that solo dancers and couples coming to Vienna will have partners to dance with! Rest assured that we will be rotating partners throughout all of our classes and during our evening dance excursions, so again, no worries if you do not come with a partner.
That being said, however, outside of our official Waltz Week group activities, if you were planning to come on your own and attend a Viennese Ball in Europe as a single person (or as a single couple), you should be aware of a few etiquette points.
First, at these kinds of events, guests will typically dance only with the partner they came with. That is to say, unlike some of the social dance parties you might have attended in the United States, at a formal European ball, the etiquette of partner exchange is generally not done. For this reason, we highly recommend coming to these balls with a partner in hand. (Again, if you are participating in Waltz Week, this won't be a problem since we will be sharing partners throughout the evening).
If you have signed up for Waltz Week but would like to attend one of the other balls not listed on our group events calendar (i.e., any of the optional pre-Waltz Week balls), we highly recommend that you post your intentions on our "Waltz Week in Vienna" Facebook page and see if you can coordinate to meet up with other Waltz Week participants there.
Hired Dance-Partnering Services (Taxi-Dancers):
Another option for single attendees to the non-Waltz Week balls is that some of the balls may help you arrange for a local taxi dancer to attend as your dance partner. Just be aware that this can be expensive. Hiring a dance escort means that you are responsible for all of their costs, including ball ticket, tuxedo rental (if needed), transportation, meals/drinks, hiring stipend/fee, etc. That being said, ball escorts are typically charming people, lovely dancers, and enjoy being there as much as you do. If anything else, it's a wonderful way to meet a fellow dancer and get to learn more of their local culture and history first hand. Please contact the local ball committee (click on their web page link) to see if this option is available for that particular ball.
General:
Workshop/Classes:
Evenings/Practices:
We suggest avoiding jeans and too informal clothing for practices.
Balls:
Each ball posts it's own dress code. If you are attending one of the TWO "Waltz Week" balls, please refer to the dress code for that ball on our balls page. In general, however, we would suggest the following:
Dance Shoes vs. Street Shoes:
If you are concerned about dancing in your street shoes, please feel free to bring a separate pair of dance shoes for your dancing comfort and pleasure. Of course, it's best if they also match your outfit.
Rentals, Purchases, Accessories*:
Vienna has numerous shops for tuxedo or gown purchases or rentals, or for buying shoes, gloves, scarves, hats, ties, or other such accessories. If you are planning on going shopping, the shopping is wonderful, but please remember to allow yourself plenty of time for any needed tailoring. Many hotels also offer in-house tailoring, cleaning, polishing or ironing services if needed.
*Personal Note: You should be warned that formal attire rentals or purchases can be quite expensive in Vienna. You will definitely be better served by purchasing new or second hand accouterments in your home town and bringing them with you. That way you can spend the bulk of your time in Vienna touring, socializing and dancing (not shopping!)
How many dance classes will there be?
When Waltz Week was originally conceived, we began as a traditional dance camp with five full days of morning & afternoon classes, a half day tour of the city, a variety of evening activities, and the Waltz Ball on the last weekend. Since then, the concept has evolved significantly, due mostly to the feedback of those early participants. Because most of our attendees are veteran dancers, it turns out that what they really want to do is to see more of Vienna, socialize and dance more with the other participants, mingle with locals, and not spend their whole time abroad in a dance studio learning moves.
To this end, we have condensed our class schedule down to two or three half days where we will focus mainly on the kinds of dances you will see at the balls (including the French "quadrille" - a very traditional set ball dance usually performed at midnight).
Our schedule this year will be much less formalized than in the past, with many more opportunities for spontaneity, for exploring and sight seeing, and for planning together as a group. This will be further explained on the first day of camp, at which time we will present all of our options for activities that week and the schedule for dance classes in the studio
What dance styles will be taught during the classes?
The dance styles taught will be selected from among those that are typically played at the Balls. These may include, but are not limited to:
We will try to balance the classes between the various styles, combining the best of traditional Viennese ball forms with the latest American social dance styles that will leave you well-prepared for any ballroom dance to come.
Where are the classes held?
How large do you expect classes to be?
At what level will classes be taught?
What language will classes be taught in?
Will there be opportunities for private lessons?
Should I come with a partner or can I come alone?
Will there be opportunities for social dancing during the week?
Getting To Vienna, Booking Flights & Hotels:
You can get great discount prices for travel, hotels, and local cultural events using online search engines, particularly if you book your flight and hotel together. You can shop and compare at:
If you're traveling locally to/from another city in Europe, check out the great prices on the Flixbus Bus Line, which arrives/departs from the Wien Central Bus Terminal, located just outside the "U4 Erdberg" U-Bahn Station in Vienna
**No COVID Requirements are needed for travel to Austria:
Getting To 'Waltz Week' Classes in Vienna:
Getting To/From The Airport, & Around Vienna:
A) Airport transportation: More information is available at the Vienna Airport Site
- by Train (City Railway):
- by Bus:
- by Express Train (City Airport Train - CAT)
- by Taxi/Cab
B) City transportation: There are various options for tickets on the Vienna Public Transport System depending on whether you want a single-use ticket or a multiple-use ticket which can be used over several days. REMEMBER - Tickets must be validated before boarding trains. CLICK HERE for ticket options and pricing.
-Single-trip ticket:
-One Week ticket (recommended option):
-Eight Day Climate ticket:
-Other options:
CLICK HERE to go to the Website for Public Transportation in Vienna (If the site is not in English, be sure to click on the tiny "English" button in the grey strip on the upper right corner of the page)
C) City Sites & Tours Transportation:
There are numerous ways to explore Vienna! -- by foot, by bicycle, by bus, or by boat. There are tours for city sights, local countryside excursions, or specific venues. These are available for a few hours, half a day, all day or night, or for several days.
To visit other local or regional cities for an afternoon, for the day, or for a quick overnight (Bratislavia, Krems, Graz, etc), the best deals can currently be found on the Flixbus Bus Line (located at the Wien Central Bus Station just outside the "U4 Erberg" U-Bahn Station)
How To Search & Book Hotels:
For easiest access to the "Some Like It Hot" Studios, you may consider looking for housing near the U6 line (which means you won't have to transfer trains to get there)
You can get great discount prices for travel, hotels, and local cultural events using online search engines, particularly if you book your flight and hotel together. You can shop and compare at:
Where to Stay:
There are many, many wonderful hotels, quaint bed & breakfasts, delightful pension's, and more budget-friendly hostels to stay at in Vienna. For easiest access to the "Some Like It Hot" Studios, you may consider looking for housing near the U6 line (which means you won't have to transfer trains to get there)
We have done very well booking through AirBnB or Booking.com. If you would like some other options, while I can't vouch for them myself, past participants have stayed at the following hotels, and have recommended them to future Waltz Week attendees.
A. Elegant Vienna Apartments: https://elegantvienna.com
Located in the center of the Old City, within walking distance to the Hofburg Palace and most places in central Vienna, these short term apartments are nicely appointed and quite affordable. The nine available apartments are centered around Judenplatz. Check the website for prices and availability.
B. Pension Suzanne: http://goo.gl/maps/2C8tC
Located on the edge of the Old City, next to the famous Viennese State Opera House and about 15 minutes walking distance to Judenplatz. Double rooms for a week, per night range from EUR 100,- for a standard room, 109,- for a larger double room to 119,- for a small suite (per room per night, including breakfast)
Walfischgasse 4, 1010 Wien
Tel.: +43-(0)1-513 25 07
Fax: +43-(0)1-513 25 00
http://www.pension-suzanne.at/
C. Hotel Wandl: http://goo.gl/maps/4E62o
Single room standard prive per night: EUR 120,-, double room standard per night: EUR 160,- including breakfast, a better offer is available for people staying a whole week...
Petersplatz 9a, 1010 Wien
TEL: +43-1-534 55-0
FAXL +43-1-534 55-77
www.hotel-wandl.com
D. Graben Hotel Wien: http://goo.gl/maps/Io0ib
Single rooms from approx. EUR 100,- per night, double rooms start around EUR 120,- per night, depending on the length of the stay, including breakfast.
Dorotheergasse 3, A-1010 Vienna
Tel. +43 1 512 15 31-0
www.kremslehnerhotels.at/de/hotel-graben-wien
E. OTHER OPTIONS: There are dozens of other hotels and "pensionen" in the inner city, including some major hotel chains (e.g. the Mariott, Hilton, Best Western etc.). All of these can easily be found on the various websites listed above (ie, hotels.com, kayak. com, expedia.com, tripadvisor.com) which can offer rates far below those that we could arrange.
I recently found a nice listing HERE of hotels in the area.
You may also consider looking at VRBO.com or AriBnB.com to see about renting a private room or pension in the area. Several people did this in 2016 & 2019 with wonderful results.
**PLEASE NOTE:
If you are looking for a roommate or have any other questions about lodging that you would like to post to the group, or if you have any suggestions about tickets, places to stay, or great deals you found that you would like to share, please feel free use our "Waltz Week in Vienna" Facebook page for postings and discussions.
A terrific resource for exploring Vienna on your own, for learning more about what this beautiful city has to offer, for connecting to local customs & culture, and for wonderful & informative travel tips to get you started on your adventure in Vienna is the website: www.vienna-unwrapped.com. Here you can find a wide variety of pages expounding on such topics as:
.....and MORE!
This is a great site -- informative, well-organized , and very easy to navigate. Be sure to check it out!
Travel insurance is required for all of our trips and will help protect both your investment and our vendors should you need to cancel. There are many companies that offer travel insurance options. You can sign up with one such policy during the payment checkout portion of this registration. If you are a AAA member, you may want to check with them. I have also found that Faye insurance is very easy to purchase online (www.withFaye.com). This WeTravel site also has a travel insurance policy you may purchase at checkout.
Once you have purchased your travel insurance, please let us know the company name and policy number you have with them.
If you don't have a policy already and don’t want to use the one offered at check-out here, feel free to CLICK HERE to purchase insurance through our affiliate company, World Nomads*.
*PLEASE NOTE: We do not represent World Nomads. As an affiliate, we receive a small commission when you get a quote from World Nomads using this link. This is information only and not a requirement to buy travel insurance through this company.
Liability:
We exercise care in the selection of reputable travel service providers but we are not ourselves a provider of travel services and have no control over, or liability for, the services provided by third parties.
In no event do we accept any liability in contract, tort or otherwise, for any injury, damage, loss, delay, additional expense or inconvenience caused directly or indirectly by the acts, omissions or default, whether negligent or otherwise, of third party providers over whom we have no direct control, force majeure or any other event which is beyond our control or which is not preventable by reasonable diligence on our part. We also do not accept any liability in contract, tort or otherwise, for consequential loss (meaning indirect loss, loss of revenue, loss of reputation, loss of profits, loss of actual or anticipated savings, lost opportunities, including opportunities to enter into arrangements with third parties or loss or damage in connection with claims against you by third parties) howsoever caused in connection with your booking.
Risks of Travel and Release:
We assume no responsibility for and shall not be liable for the acts or omissions on the part of any other party not under our control or any acts of God, unsafe conditions, terrorism, health hazards including pandemics, illness, weather hazards, or the suitability for a disabled person of any portion of any trip. We have no special knowledge of dangers during travel or at destinations. For information related to such dangers, we recommend going to the State Department travel website at travel.state.gov, click on "Find International travel Information" then click on "Country Information", and fill in the name of the destination country.
For medical and health information, we recommend going to the Centers for Disease Control website at cdc.gov/travel, then click on "Destinations" and scroll to the name of the destination country. It is your personal decision to travel, and you are doing so with full knowledge of current travel recommendations and travel restrictions with regards to the risks of COVID-19. YOU HEREBY EXPRESSLY ASSUME ALL OF THESE RISKS AND DANGERS, AND YOU HEREBY EXPRESSLY AGREE TO FOREVER RELEASE, DISCHARGE AND HOLD US, AND OUR AGENTS, EMPLOYEES, OFFICERS, DIRECTORS, ASSOCIATES, AFFILIATED COMPANIES, GUIDES, GROUP LEADERS, AND SUBCONTRACTORS HARMLESS AGAINST ANY AND ALL LIABILITY, ACTIONS, CAUSES OF ACTIONS, SUITS, CLAIMS, AND DEMANDS OF ANY AND EVERY KIND AND NATURE WHATSOEVER WHICH YOU NOW HAVE OR WHICH MAY HEREAFTER ARISE OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THESE RISKS AND Dangers.
The Viennese Quadrille (aka, the Quadrille Francais) is a French contradance of the 19th century that today is traditionally danced at Viennese Balls at or after midnight to the sounds of the Fledermaus Quadrille (op 363) by Johann Strauss. We will be learning this dance during several of our Waltz Week classes so that we can all participate in the midnight group dance during the Hofburg Palace Ball. As it says (in German) on the Youtube page in the description of the video below, “perfection is not so important - it’s the being there that counts!”
CLICK HERE to learn the Fledermaus Quadrille (from the YouTube page)
To sign up as a couple, just mark that you are registering for 2 people where it asks you how many are in your party, then put in the required information for each person.
If you are signing up as a single lead, please fill this form out.
If you are signing up as a single follow, please fill this form out. Single follows will automatically be put on a waiting list until we have an even number of leads to match. Booking with a lead will get you in right away.
For a “non-dancer” (usually the guest of a dancer) who would not be joining us for the dance classes, but would like to join us for the dinners, tours, evening parties, etc. You would still need to buy your Ball ticket separately if you would like to get into the Balls.
Friday, Feb 21, at the Hofburg Palace
Saturday, Feb 22, at the Rathaus.
*Please Note: The agenda below is working draft. Given the number of activities to choose from, the schedule may be changed according to the group's interests & what is available locally.
Sunday, Feb 16th:
Monday, Feb 17th:
Tuesday, Feb 18th:
Wednesday, Feb 19th:
Thursday, Feb 20th: (FREE DAY For Exploring the Region)
Friday, Feb 21st:
Saturday, Feb 22nd:
Sunday, Feb 23rd
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Other Waltz Week Activity Options:
Our choice of group activities, dining locations, cultural activities, etc, can be fairly flexible. Much will be decided by the group on location. Activities may include, but are not be limited to: