“Sunday marked the 200th birthday of Johann Strauss I, a hugely popular composer of nearly 300 works, whose legacy lives on long after his death in 1849. Strauss’ music, along with that of a contemporary named Joseph Lanner, sparked what became known as the Viennese waltz, a faster, more elegant and more intimate version of the rigid box-step that preceded it. Originally dubbed the “forbidden dance” because couples touched while twirling about, the Viennese version was highly controversial when it first emerged in Austrian ballrooms and dance halls.”