The bubble dance is an erotic dance developed by Sally Rand

Sally Rand

Sally Rand was a burlesque dancer and actress, most noted for her ostrich feather fan dance and balloon bubble dance. She also performed under the name Billie Beck.-Early life and career:...

. This was an alternative to the striptease

Striptease

A striptease is an erotic or exotic dance in which the performer gradually undresses, either partly or completely, in a seductive and sexually suggestive manner...

, with some similarities to fan dancing

Fan dance

A fan dance is a dance performed with one or more fans. This form has been adapted in various countries. The Korean fan dance, for example, evolved from Joseon Dynasty court dances and remains a popular form of traditional Korean dance. The Spanish or Portuguese flamenco makes dramatic use of fans...

. The dancer (sometimes naked) dances with a huge bubble to make some interesting poses.

It is usually performed by women, although it can also be performed by men. The performer does not necessarily have to be nude, although the performer can play "peek-a-boo" with the audience with the bubble.

Today, the bubble dance is less practised in some countries, but still popular in others.

In one cartoon in the Looney Tunes

Looney Tunes

Looney Tunes is a Warner Bros. animated cartoon series. It preceded the Merrie Melodies series and was Warner Bros.'s first animated theatrical series. Since its first official release, 1930's Sinkin' in the Bathtub, the series has become a worldwide media franchise, spawning several television...

 series, called Hollywood Steps Out

Hollywood steps out

Hollywood Steps Out is a 1941 short Merrie Melodies cartoon by Warner Brothers, directed by Tex Avery. The cartoon features caricatures of Hollywood celebrities from the 1930s and early 1940s.- Plot :...

, a caricature of Rand is seen performing a bubble dance. She appears to be wearing only a bubble in front of her. Her bubble glows bright white, and it looks as though her skin and the bubble are the same color. She lifts up her bubble to reveal the illegal parts of her body and the screen rises up to prevent the cartoon's viewers from seeing them and then it comes back down to cover them again. Then, Harpo Marx

Harpo Marx

Adolph "Harpo" Marx was an American comedian and film star. He was the second oldest of the Marx Brothers. His comic style was influenced by clown and pantomime traditions. He wore a curly reddish wig, and never spoke during performances...

 comes out from under a table with a slingshot

Slingshot

A slingshot, shanghai, flip, bean shooter or catapult is a small hand-powered projectile weapon. The classic form consists of a Y-shaped frame held in the off hand, with two rubber strips attached to the uprights. The other ends of the strips lead back to a pocket which holds the projectile...

 and pops her bubble, revealing Rand wearing a barrel.

There is also a sketch in The Benny Hill

Benny Hill

Benny Hill was an English comedian and actor, notable for his long-running television programme The Benny Hill Show.-Early life:...

 Show that features a variation of this dance. In it, Benny plays a schoolboy who visits a strip club

Strip club

A strip club is an adult entertainment venue in which striptease or other erotic or exotic dance is regularly performed. Strip clubs typically adopt a nightclub or bar style, but can also adopt a theatre or cabaret-style....

 and sees "Mahala", played by Corinne Russell, doing her "daring Balloon Dance". Corinne wears almost nothing with only her balloon to cover her breasts. She winks and blows kisses at the crowd. She does some kicks and deep stretches as well as splits, until schoolboy Benny decides to use his slingshot on her, but rather than popping the balloon, he inadvertently pops her instead, as she was really a blow up doll.

Like pole dancing, it is undergoing dissociation from pornography as seen in many countries. Visitors to these countries often find non-pornographic instances unthinkable back home.