Here is an example of a typical Dance Evening -- the complete playlist of music provided by the Paul Errico Orchestra at the Waltz Series Dinner Dance on April 23, 2018. Mr. Errico devised an effective progression, starting with Strauss and similar waltzes, later bringing in show and movie tunes, and ending with a mix of Strauss and pop numbers.
The total amount of music from 8:00 PM to 11:00 PM was 1 hour and 52 minutes. Nearly half of the music was by “The Waltz King,” Johann Strauss II, or by stylistically similar composers – Lehàr, Kálmán, and Tschaikovsky. It is important to us to honor and maintain the tradition of the golden era of Viennese waltz, as it flourished in the late 19th Century.
When the Waltz Series was formed in 1948, some of the older members had grown up with the popular tunes of Strauss and Lehàr 40-50 years earlier. These were brand-new in the 1890’s and 1900’s. No such connection exists for us today. As much as we all love the Strauss waltzes, people also love and relate to the music they listened to and played or performed as teenagers. In this context, our music is a blend of styles and eras, and always provides correct dance tempi for slow, medium, and fast waltzes.
Dancers who attend other social dances find that devoting an evening to only waltzing provides a refreshing change. Especially when it features a live orchestra with strings and horns! And leaders enjoy the confidence of not having to wonder "What kind of dance is this?"