Which European dance inspired the waltz?

The waltz evolved from the Ländler, a traditional rural couple dance originating in Bavaria and Alpine Austria.12

While the Ländler is performed in 3/4 time—similar to the waltz—it is characterized by slower, stamping, and dragging steps compared to the waltz's characteristic step-slide-step pattern. During the 18th century, the Ländler's turning figures and triple rhythm heavily influenced the development of the waltz, which eventually became the preeminent ballroom dance of the 19th century.123