When it comes to dancing, I have, as they say, two left feet. I have terrible difficulty mastering traditional dances like reels, jigs, and hornpipes. Weddings and conventional Irish or Scottish Ceilis make me nervous. I am the guy awkwardly running into others on the dance floor, ruining the smooth group sets. But there is a dance I enjoy and can execute fairly well without attracting loud guffaws. It's the waltz.

The dictionary tells us the waltz is "a dance in triple time performed by a couple, who as a pair turn rhythmically around and around as they progress around the dance floor." It sounds simple, and it is. Mainly, it takes you counting: one, two, three. Your feet will do the rest.

This dance form originated in central Europe in the mid-1700s. Since then, the popularity of the waltz has spread around the world. It is now part of the canon of traditional music in practically every country in the western world.

Celtic music has an abundance of waltzes - instrumentals and songs. Many have a distinct Celtic accent. Some get imported from other cultures; American, Scandinavian, Spanish, French. This playlist is a collection of some of my favorites, but naturally, omits far more than it can include.

I chose this waltz theme for a playlist, especially for this time of self-isolation and social distancing for the simplicity of the tunes and the fact that it can be danced around a kitchen or other small space. Go ahead, try it! Click on the play button above and then one, two, three, one, two, three. It will make you feel good, guaranteed.

00:00: “Muistoja Karpaateilta,” Séamus Creagh, Aidan Coffey, Untitled
03:36: “Galician Waltz,” Childsplay, The Great Waltz
07:16: “Galway Bay,” Dolores Keane, Thousands are Sailing
10:46: “Stout's Waltz,” Olav Mjelva & Eli West, Hand to Play
14:30: “The Ook Pik Waltz,” Jay Ungar, Relax Your Mind
18:17: “Waltzing for Dreamers,” Richard Thompson, Brining it All Back Home
22:12: “The River Field Watlz,” Cathy Jordan, All the Way Home
25:38: “Melancholy French Waltz,” Winifred Horan, Lost Girl Found
38:23: “Rose of Allendale,” Mary Black, Mary Black
33:01: “Johsefins Dopvals (Johsefin's Waltz),” Väsen, Trio
37:13: “The Flatbush Waltz,” Mary Custy, The Mary Custy Band
40:22: “Teddy O’Neil,” Maura O’Connell, Wandering Home
44:01: “The Lover’s Waltz,” Sir James Galway with Jay Ungar & Molly Mason, A Song Of Home/An American Musical Journey
47:46: “The Galway Bay Waltz,” Joe Boske et al, Tribute to Joe Boske
51:08: “Ould Ballymoe,” Cathy Jordan, All the Way Home
53:48: “Oyster Island,” Buttons and Bows, The Return of Spring
56:38: “Mazurkas,” Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh, Imeall
1:00:08: “Ginny’s Waltz, Máire Ní Chathasaigh & Chris Newman, FireWire