Juba dance
Encyclopedia
The Juba dance or hambone, originally known as Pattin' Juba (Giouba, Haiti: Djouba), is a style of dance
that involves stomping as well as slapping and patting the arms, legs, chest, and cheeks. "Pattin' Juba" would be used to keep time for other dances during a walkaround
. A Juba Dance performance could include:
The dance traditionally ends with a step called "the Long Dog Scratch". Modern variations on the dance include Bo Diddley
's "Bo Diddley Beat" and the step-shows of African American
and Latino Greek organizations.
dance, brought from West Africa
by slaves who performed it during their gatherings when no rhythm instruments were allowed due to fear of secret codes hidden in the drumming. The sounds were also used just as Yoruba
and Haitian
talking drums
were used to communicate. The dance was performed in Dutch Guiana, the Caribbean, and the southern United States.
Later in the mid-1800s
, music and lyrics were added, and there were public performances of the dance. Its popularization may have indirectly influenced the development of modern Tap dance
. The most famous Juba dancer was William Henry Lane, or Master Juba
, one of the first black performers in the United States. It was often danced in minstrel show
s, and is mentioned in songs such as "Christy's New Song" and "Juba", the latter by Nathaniel Dett.
A song about the hambone from Step it Down (v.s.):
Dance
Dance is an art form that generally refers to movement of the body, usually rhythmic and to music, used as a form of expression, social interaction or presented in a spiritual or performance setting....
that involves stomping as well as slapping and patting the arms, legs, chest, and cheeks. "Pattin' Juba" would be used to keep time for other dances during a walkaround
Walkaround
A walkaround was a dance from the blackface minstrel shows of the 19th century. The walkaround began in the 1840s as a dance for one performer, but by the 1850s, many dancers or the entire troupe participated...
. A Juba Dance performance could include:
- counter-clockwise turning, often with one leg raised
- stomping and slapping
- steps such as "the Jubal Jew," "Yaller Cat," "Pigeon Wing" and "Blow That Candle Out."
The dance traditionally ends with a step called "the Long Dog Scratch". Modern variations on the dance include Bo Diddley
Bo Diddley
Ellas Otha Bates , known by his stage name Bo Diddley, was an American rhythm and blues vocalist, guitarist, songwriter , and inventor...
's "Bo Diddley Beat" and the step-shows of African American
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
and Latino Greek organizations.
History of the dance
The Juba dance was originally an African-American plantationPlantation
A plantation is a long artificially established forest, farm or estate, where crops are grown for sale, often in distant markets rather than for local on-site consumption...
dance, brought from West Africa
West Africa
West Africa or Western Africa is the westernmost region of the African continent. Geopolitically, the UN definition of Western Africa includes the following 16 countries and an area of approximately 5 million square km:-Flags of West Africa:...
by slaves who performed it during their gatherings when no rhythm instruments were allowed due to fear of secret codes hidden in the drumming. The sounds were also used just as Yoruba
Yoruba music
The music of the Yoruba people of Nigeria is best known for an extremely advanced drumming tradition, especially using the dundun hourglass tension drums. Yoruba folk music became perhaps the most prominent kind of West African music in Afro-Latin and Caribbean musical styles...
and Haitian
Music of Haiti
The music of Haiti is influenced mostly by Europe, colonial ties, and African migration through slavery. European musical influence derived primarily from the French and by the Spanish-infused influence of Cuba and the bordering Dominican Republic. Styles unique to Haiti include music derived from...
talking drums
Drum (communication)
Developed from hollow tree trunks, and used by cultures living in deforested areas, drums served as an early form of long distance communication, and were used during ceremonial and religious functions.-Pressure drum:...
were used to communicate. The dance was performed in Dutch Guiana, the Caribbean, and the southern United States.
Later in the mid-1800s
1840s
- Wars :*Mexican-American War was fought between Mexico and the United States of America. The latter emerged victorious and gained undisputed control over Texas while annexing portions of Arizona, California and New Mexico....
, music and lyrics were added, and there were public performances of the dance. Its popularization may have indirectly influenced the development of modern Tap dance
Tap dance
Tap dance is a form of dance characterized by using the sound of one's tap shoes hitting the floor as a percussive instrument. As such, it is also commonly considered to be a form of music. Two major variations on tap dance exist: rhythm tap and Broadway tap. Broadway tap focuses more on the...
. The most famous Juba dancer was William Henry Lane, or Master Juba
Master Juba
Master Juba was an African American dancer active in the 1840s. He was one of the first black performers in the United States to play onstage for white audiences and the only one of the era to tour with a white minstrel group...
, one of the first black performers in the United States. It was often danced in minstrel show
Minstrel show
The minstrel show, or minstrelsy, was an American entertainment consisting of comic skits, variety acts, dancing, and music, performed by white people in blackface or, especially after the Civil War, black people in blackface....
s, and is mentioned in songs such as "Christy's New Song" and "Juba", the latter by Nathaniel Dett.
Related songs
"Juba Juba", a popular song about the Juba :-
- Juba dis and Juba dat,
- and Juba killed da yellow cat,
- You sift the meal and ya gimme the husk,
- you bake the bread and ya gimme the crust,
- you eat the meat and ya gimme the skin,
- and that's the way,
- my mama's troubles begin
A song about the hambone from Step it Down (v.s.):
-
- Hambone Hambone pat him on the shoulder
- If you get a pretty girl, I'll show you how to hold her.
- Hambone, Hambone, where have you been?
- All 'round the world and back again.
- Hambone, Hambone, what did you do?
- I got a train and I fairly flew.
- Hambone, Hambone where did you go?
- I hopped up to Miss Lucy's door.
- I asked Miss Lucy would she marry me.
- (falsetto)"Well I don't care if Papa don't care!"
- First come in was Mister Snake,
- He crawled all over that wedding cake.
- Next walked in was Mister Tick,
- He ate so much it made him sick.
- Next walked in was Mister Coon,
- We asked him to sing us a wedding tune,
- Now Ham-....
- Now Ham....
See also
- Charleston (dance)Charleston (dance)The Charleston is a dance named for the harbor city of Charleston, South Carolina. The rhythm was popularized in mainstream dance music in the United States by a 1923 tune called "The Charleston" by composer/pianist James P. Johnson which originated in the Broadway show Runnin' Wild and became one...
- CloggingCloggingClogging is a type of folk dance with roots in traditional European dancing, early African-American dance, and traditional Cherokee dance in which the dancer's footwear is used musically by striking the heel, the toe, or both in unison against a floor or each other to create audible percussive...
- Hand jiveHand jiveThe Hand jive is a dance particularly associated with rock and roll and rhythm and blues music of the 1950s. It involves a complicated pattern of hand moves and claps at various parts of the body, following and/or imitating the percussion instruments. It resembles a highly elaborate version of...
- JigJigThe Jig is a form of lively folk dance, as well as the accompanying dance tune, originating in England in the 16th century and today most associated with Irish dance music and Scottish country dance music...
- Jive (dance)Jive (dance)In Ballroom dancing, Jive is a dance style in 4/4 time that originated in the United States from African-Americans in the early 1930s. It was originally presented to the public as 'Jive' in 1934 by Cab Calloway. It is a lively and uninhibited variation of the Jitterbug, a form of Swing dance...
- Master JubaMaster JubaMaster Juba was an African American dancer active in the 1840s. He was one of the first black performers in the United States to play onstage for white audiences and the only one of the era to tour with a white minstrel group...
- Minstrel showMinstrel showThe minstrel show, or minstrelsy, was an American entertainment consisting of comic skits, variety acts, dancing, and music, performed by white people in blackface or, especially after the Civil War, black people in blackface....
- Step danceStep danceStep dance is the generic term for dance styles where the footwork is the most important part of the dance. Body and arm movements and styling are either restricted or considered irrelevant.Step dance is one end of a spectrum of dance styles...
- Tap danceTap danceTap dance is a form of dance characterized by using the sound of one's tap shoes hitting the floor as a percussive instrument. As such, it is also commonly considered to be a form of music. Two major variations on tap dance exist: rhythm tap and Broadway tap. Broadway tap focuses more on the...
- West African Juba Dance
External links
- "Hambone" at World Arts West
- Juba / Giouba at StreetSwing
- "Jig, clog, and breakdown dancing made easy, with sketches of noted jig dancers", pub. by Ed. James