Novelty and fad dances
Encyclopedia
Fad dances are dance
s which are characterized by a short burst of popularity, while novelty dances typically have a longer-lasting popularity based on their being characteristically humorous or humor-invoking, as well as the sense of uniqueness which they have.
Since the Renaissance
, the courts of European monarchs and nobles played host to a long succession of dance fads, many of which became social 'crazes' that spread into general society. They include the minuet
, the allemande
, the schottische
, the mazurka
and the waltz
. Many of these European Renaissance dance crazes—such as the allemande—have long since faded into obscurity, but their rhythms were preserved in European classical music. By the time of Bach
, the tempi of these dances had evolved into standardized rhythmical frameworks that formed the basis for the various movements of Baroque and early Classical instrumental works
In modern times new dances ("fads") arise and disappear much more frequently. This is certainly spurred by modern communication improvements (printed media, radio, movies, television, internet).
In the early 1920s a string of dance crazes swept the world, including jitterbug and the Charleston
. Perhaps the most significant of all these early 20th century crazes originated in Argentina in the early 1900s. The tango
swept the world in the late 1910s and early 1920s, sparking a worldwide craze that was fanned by its use in Hollywood movies, and the style was soon appropriated to become part of the standard dance repertoire.
The tango was the first in a series of 20th century Latin music dance crazes that included the merengue
, the samba
, the mambo
, the rumba
, the cha-cha-cha
and, in the early 1960s, the bossa nova
. Each new Latin style enjoyed massive popularity, and many transcended their fad status to become standardized styles in the repertoire of western popular dance tradition.
Latin dance styles also exerted a huge influence on the direction of western popular music; this was especially true of jazz
, which was profoundly altered by the advent of the first wave of Latin music in the 1940s and then by the bossa nova craze of the 1960s, which also had a massive influence on American pop music.
From the 1950s to the 1970s, new dance fads appeared almost every week. Many were popularized (or commercialized) versions of new styles or steps created by African-American dancers who frequented the clubs and discothèques in major U.S. cities like New York, Philadelphia and Detroit. Among the dozens of crazes that swept the world during this fertile period were the Madison
, "The Swim", the "Mashed Potato
", "The Twist
", "The Frug
" and "The Watusi
", "The Shake" and "The Hitchhike
"; several '60s dance crazes had animal names, including "The Pony", "The Dog" and "The Chicken" (not to be confused with the later Chicken Dance
).
In 1962, the Mexican-American group Cannibal and the Headhunters had a hit with the Chris Kenner
song Land of a Thousand Dances
which included the names of sixteen of these dances. One list of Fad Dances compiled in 1971 named over ninety dances.
As the pop music market exploded in the late 1950s, successive dance fads were commercialized and exploited. Standardized versions were print
ed in dance and teen magazine
s, often choreographed
to popular songs. Many pop hits of the Sixties were purpose-written to exploit emerging new dance crazes—notable examples include "Mashed Potato Time" by Dee Dee Sharp
and this appropriation continued into the 1990s. Other songs such as "The Loco-Motion
"--composed by Gerry Goffin
and Carole King
and first recorded by Little Eva
-- were specifically written with the intention of creating a new dance style.
In the early 1970s new dance styles fueled the emergence of the disco
phenomenon, which spawned a succession of dance fads including the Bump
, The Hustle
, and the YMCA
. This continued in the 1980s with the popular song "Walk like an Egyptian
", in the 1990s with the "Macarena
", and in the 2000s with "The Ketchup Song
" dance. Contemporary sources for dance crazes include music video
s and movie
s.
There are fad dances which are meant to be danced individually as solo, others are partner dance
s, and yet others are danced in groups
. Some of them were of freestyle type, i.e., there were no particular step pattern
s and they were distinguished by the style of the dance movement (Twist, Shake, Swim, Pony, Hitchhike). Only some of them survived until now, sometimes only as the name of a step (Suzie Q, Shimmy) or of a style (Mashed Potato) in a recognized dance. Fad dances are in fashion
at the time of their popularity. They are associated with a specific time period, and evoke a nostalgia
when danced nowadays.
" or "dance party
" dances. Novelty dances that have remained popular are no longer associated with a specific time period—they are timeless. Novelty dances are meant to be funny, and to evoke general mirth verging on silliness in participants.
Rik And Nik also did many novelty Dance (party dance songs) such as "the purple people eater" they split in the late 90's Rik Gaynor one half of the duo still writes and performs novelty party dance songs, such as the latest song played at Haven Holidays "Funky Funstars" 2011
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....
s which are characterized by a short burst of popularity, while novelty dances typically have a longer-lasting popularity based on their being characteristically humorous or humor-invoking, as well as the sense of uniqueness which they have.
Fad dances
These are also called "dance crazes". Dancing style fads have for some centuries been a part of social dancing, sometimes gliding smoothly into tradition after their "newness" has faded, and sometimes simply fading away into oblivion.Since the Renaissance
Renaissance
The Renaissance was a cultural movement that spanned roughly the 14th to the 17th century, beginning in Italy in the Late Middle Ages and later spreading to the rest of Europe. The term is also used more loosely to refer to the historical era, but since the changes of the Renaissance were not...
, the courts of European monarchs and nobles played host to a long succession of dance fads, many of which became social 'crazes' that spread into general society. They include the minuet
Minuet
A minuet, also spelled menuet, is a social dance of French origin for two people, usually in 3/4 time. The word was adapted from Italian minuetto and French menuet, and may have been from French menu meaning slender, small, referring to the very small steps, or from the early 17th-century popular...
, the allemande
Allemande
An allemande is one of the most popular instrumental dance forms in Baroque music, and a standard element of a suite...
, the schottische
Schottische
The schottische is a partnered country dance, that apparently originated in Bohemia. It was popular in Victorian era ballrooms as a part of the Bohemian folk-dance craze and left its traces in folk music of countries such as Argentina , Finland , France, Italy, Norway , Portugal and Brazil , Spain ...
, the mazurka
Mazurka
The mazurka is a Polish folk dance in triple meter, usually at a lively tempo, and with accent on the third or second beat.-History:The folk origins of the mazurek are two other Polish musical forms—the slow machine...
and the waltz
Waltz
The waltz is a ballroom and folk dance in time, performed primarily in closed position.- History :There are several references to a sliding or gliding dance,- a waltz, from the 16th century including the representations of the printer H.S. Beheim...
. Many of these European Renaissance dance crazes—such as the allemande—have long since faded into obscurity, but their rhythms were preserved in European classical music. By the time of Bach
Bạch
Bạch is a Vietnamese surname. The name is transliterated as Bai in Chinese and Baek, in Korean.Bach is the anglicized variation of the surname Bạch.-Notable people with the surname Bạch:* Bạch Liêu...
, the tempi of these dances had evolved into standardized rhythmical frameworks that formed the basis for the various movements of Baroque and early Classical instrumental works
In modern times new dances ("fads") arise and disappear much more frequently. This is certainly spurred by modern communication improvements (printed media, radio, movies, television, internet).
In the early 1920s a string of dance crazes swept the world, including jitterbug and the Charleston
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...
. Perhaps the most significant of all these early 20th century crazes originated in Argentina in the early 1900s. The tango
Tango (dance)
Tango dance originated in the area of the Rio de la Plata , and spread to the rest of the world soon after....
swept the world in the late 1910s and early 1920s, sparking a worldwide craze that was fanned by its use in Hollywood movies, and the style was soon appropriated to become part of the standard dance repertoire.
The tango was the first in a series of 20th century Latin music dance crazes that included the merengue
Merengue (dance)
Merengue El camino1ro de Secundaria-In popular culture:* Merengue was mentioned as a song performed between Babs and Charlie in the song by Steely Dan....
, the samba
Samba
Samba is a Brazilian dance and musical genre originating in Bahia and with its roots in Brazil and Africa via the West African slave trade and African religious traditions. It is recognized around the world as a symbol of Brazil and the Brazilian Carnival...
, the mambo
Mambo (dance)
Mambo .In the late 1940s, Perez Prado came up with the dance for the mambo music and became the first person to market his music as "mambo". After Havana, Prado moved his music to Mexico, where his music and the dance was adopted. The original mambo dance was characterized by freedom and...
, the rumba
Rumba (dance)
Rumba is a dance term with two quite different meanings.In some contexts, "rumba" is used as shorthand for Afro-Cuban rumba, a group of dances related to the rumba genre of Afro-Cuban music. The most common Afro-Cuban rumba is the guaguancó...
, the cha-cha-cha
Cha-cha-cha (dance)
The Cha-cha-cha is the name of a dance of Cuban origin.It is danced to the music of the same name introduced by Cuban composer and violinist Enrique Jorrín in 1953...
and, in the early 1960s, the bossa nova
Bossa nova
Bossa nova is a style of Brazilian music. Bossa nova acquired a large following in the 1960s, initially consisting of young musicians and college students...
. Each new Latin style enjoyed massive popularity, and many transcended their fad status to become standardized styles in the repertoire of western popular dance tradition.
Latin dance styles also exerted a huge influence on the direction of western popular music; this was especially true of jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
, which was profoundly altered by the advent of the first wave of Latin music in the 1940s and then by the bossa nova craze of the 1960s, which also had a massive influence on American pop music.
From the 1950s to the 1970s, new dance fads appeared almost every week. Many were popularized (or commercialized) versions of new styles or steps created by African-American dancers who frequented the clubs and discothèques in major U.S. cities like New York, Philadelphia and Detroit. Among the dozens of crazes that swept the world during this fertile period were the Madison
Madison (dance)
The Madison is a novelty dance that was popular in the late 1950s to mid 1960s. The Madison was created and first danced in Columbus, Ohio, in 1957. The local popularity of the dance and record in Baltimore, Maryland, came to the attention of the producers of The Buddy Deane Show in 1960...
, "The Swim", the "Mashed Potato
Mashed Potato
The Mashed Potato is a dance move which was a popular dance craze of 1962. It was danced to songs such as Dee Dee Sharp's "Mashed Potato Time". Also referred to as "mash potato" or "mashed potatoes", the move vaguely resembles that of the Twist, by Sharp's fellow Philadelphian, Chubby...
", "The Twist
Twist (dance)
The Twist was a dance inspired by rock and roll music. It became the first worldwide dance craze in the early 1960s, enjoying immense popularity among young people and drawing fire from critics who felt it was too provocative. It inspired dances such as the Jerk, the Pony, the Watusi, the Mashed...
", "The Frug
The Frug
The Frug was a dance craze from the 1960s that evolved from another dance of the era, the Chicken. The Chicken, which featured lateral body movements, was used primarily as a change of pace step while doing the Twist. As young dancers grew more tired they would do less work, moving only their hips...
" and "The Watusi
The Watusi
The Watusi is a solo dance that enjoyed brief popularity during the early 1960s. It was the second-most popular dance craze in the 1960s in the United States, after the Twist...
", "The Shake" and "The Hitchhike
Hitch hike (dance)
Hitch hike was a dance craze of 1960s. It started with the 1963 Marvin Gaye's hit "Hitch Hike" and refueled with the gold disc of Vanity Fare, "Hitchin' a Ride" ....
"; several '60s dance crazes had animal names, including "The Pony", "The Dog" and "The Chicken" (not to be confused with the later Chicken Dance
Chicken Dance
The "Chicken Dance" is an oom-pah song and its associated fad dance is now a contemporary American folk dance. The song was composed by accordion player Werner Thomas from Davos, Switzerland, in the 1950s....
).
In 1962, the Mexican-American group Cannibal and the Headhunters had a hit with the Chris Kenner
Chris Kenner
Chris Kenner was a New Orleans R&B singer and songwriter, best known for two hit singles in the early 1960s, that became staples in the repertoires of many other musicians.-Biography:...
song Land of a Thousand Dances
Land of a Thousand Dances
"Land of a Thousand Dances" is a song written and first recorded by Chris Kenner in 1962. The song is famous for its "na na na na na" hook, which was added by Cannibal & the Headhunters in their version of the song in 1965, whose version peaked at number thirty...
which included the names of sixteen of these dances. One list of Fad Dances compiled in 1971 named over ninety dances.
As the pop music market exploded in the late 1950s, successive dance fads were commercialized and exploited. Standardized versions were print
Publishing
Publishing is the process of production and dissemination of literature or information—the activity of making information available to the general public...
ed in dance and teen magazine
Magazine
Magazines, periodicals, glossies or serials are publications, generally published on a regular schedule, containing a variety of articles. They are generally financed by advertising, by a purchase price, by pre-paid magazine subscriptions, or all three...
s, often choreographed
Choreography
Choreography is the art of designing sequences of movements in which motion, form, or both are specified. Choreography may also refer to the design itself, which is sometimes expressed by means of dance notation. The word choreography literally means "dance-writing" from the Greek words "χορεία" ...
to popular songs. Many pop hits of the Sixties were purpose-written to exploit emerging new dance crazes—notable examples include "Mashed Potato Time" by Dee Dee Sharp
Dee Dee Sharp
Dee Dee Sharp is an American R&B singer, who began her career recording as a backing vocalist in 1961.-Career:...
and this appropriation continued into the 1990s. Other songs such as "The Loco-Motion
The Loco-Motion
"The Loco-Motion" is a 1962 pop song written by American songwriters Gerry Goffin and Carole King. The song is notable for appearing in the American Top 5 three times – each time in a different decade: for Little Eva in 1962 ; for Grand Funk Railroad in 1974 ; and for Kylie Minogue in 1988 "The...
"--composed by Gerry Goffin
Gerry Goffin
Gerry Goffin is an American lyricist. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1990 with former songwriting partner and first wife, Carole King. he has co-written six Billboard Hot 100 chart-toppers.-Career:Goffin enlisted with the Marine Corps Reserve after graduating from...
and Carole King
Carole King
Carole King is an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. King and her former husband Gerry Goffin wrote more than two dozen chart hits for numerous artists during the 1960s, many of which have become standards. As a singer, King had an album, Tapestry, top the U.S...
and first recorded by Little Eva
Little Eva
Eva Narcissus Boyd , known by the stage name of Little Eva , was an American pop singer.-Biography:...
-- were specifically written with the intention of creating a new dance style.
In the early 1970s new dance styles fueled the emergence of the disco
Disco
Disco is a genre of dance music. Disco acts charted high during the mid-1970s, and the genre's popularity peaked during the late 1970s. It had its roots in clubs that catered to African American, gay, psychedelic, and other communities in New York City and Philadelphia during the late 1960s and...
phenomenon, which spawned a succession of dance fads including the Bump
Bump (dance)
The bump was a primarily 1970s fad dance introduced by Johnny Spruce in which the main move is to lightly "bump" hips on every other beat of the music. As the dance progressed, the bumping could become more intimate, bumping hip to backside, low bending, etc...
, The Hustle
Hustle (dance)
The Hustle is a catchall name for several disco dances which were extremely popular in the 1970s. Today it mostly refers to the unique partner dance done in ballrooms and nightclubs to disco music. It has some features in common with swing dance. Its basic steps are somewhat similar to the...
, and the YMCA
YMCA (song)
"Y.M.C.A." is a song recorded by American disco group Village People. It was released in 1978 as the only single from the album Cruisin. The song reached No. 2 on the U.S. charts in early 1979 and reached No.1 in the UK around the same time, becoming the group's biggest hit...
. This continued in the 1980s with the popular song "Walk like an Egyptian
Walk Like an Egyptian
"Walk Like an Egyptian" is a number-one hit from the album Different Light by The Bangles in 1986.-Origin:Liam Sternberg wrote the song after seeing people on a ferry walking awkwardly to keep their balance, which reminded him of figures in Ancient Egyptian reliefs. The opening lyrics state, "All...
", in the 1990s with the "Macarena
Macarena (song)
"Macarena" is a Spanish dance song by Los del Río about a woman of the same name. Appearing on the 1994 album A mí me gusta, it was an international hit between 1995 and 1996, and continues to have a cult following. It was ranked the "#1 Greatest One-Hit Wonder of all Time" by VH1 in 2002.The song...
", and in the 2000s with "The Ketchup Song
The Ketchup Song
"The Ketchup Song" is the English title of the song "Aserejé", performed by the Andalusian-Spanish pop group Las Ketchup, which was an international hit in 2002. The song exists in three versions, Spanish, a version in a mixture of English and Spanish, described as "Spanglish", and a version in...
" dance. Contemporary sources for dance crazes include music video
Music video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
s and movie
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
s.
There are fad dances which are meant to be danced individually as solo, others are partner dance
Partner dance
Partner dances are dances whose basic choreography involves coordinated dancing of two partners, as opposed to individuals dancing alone or individually in a non-coordinated manner, and as opposed to groups of people dancing simultaneously in a coordinated manner.In the year 1023 the German poet...
s, and yet others are danced in groups
Group dance
Group dances are danced by groups of people simultaneously, as opposed to individuals dancing alone or individually, and as opposed to couples dancing together but independently of others dancing at the same time, if any....
. Some of them were of freestyle type, i.e., there were no particular step pattern
Pattern
A pattern, from the French patron, is a type of theme of recurring events or objects, sometimes referred to as elements of a set of objects.These elements repeat in a predictable manner...
s and they were distinguished by the style of the dance movement (Twist, Shake, Swim, Pony, Hitchhike). Only some of them survived until now, sometimes only as the name of a step (Suzie Q, Shimmy) or of a style (Mashed Potato) in a recognized dance. Fad dances are in fashion
Fashion
Fashion, a general term for a currently popular style or practice, especially in clothing, foot wear, or accessories. Fashion references to anything that is the current trend in look and dress up of a person...
at the time of their popularity. They are associated with a specific time period, and evoke a nostalgia
Nostalgia
The term nostalgia describes a yearning for the past, often in idealized form.The word is a learned formation of a Greek compound, consisting of , meaning "returning home", a Homeric word, and , meaning "pain, ache"...
when danced nowadays.
Novelty dances
Novelty dances might include quirky and unusual steps, or have an unusual name. Novelty dances may also have been fad dances which have remained popular over a longer period. It is not necessary that they ever were fashionably popular. These are also referred to as "partyParty
A party is a gathering of people who have been invited by a host for the purposes of socializing, conversation, or recreation. A party will typically feature food and beverages, and often music and dancing as well....
" or "dance party
Dance party
A dance party is a social gathering where dancing is the primary activity. Some dance parties are held in a casual setting and open to the public, such as a rave, or those held in nightclubs and discothèques...
" dances. Novelty dances that have remained popular are no longer associated with a specific time period—they are timeless. Novelty dances are meant to be funny, and to evoke general mirth verging on silliness in participants.
Rik And Nik also did many novelty Dance (party dance songs) such as "the purple people eater" they split in the late 90's Rik Gaynor one half of the duo still writes and performs novelty party dance songs, such as the latest song played at Haven Holidays "Funky Funstars" 2011
Notable novelty and fad dances
- Algorithm MarchAlgorithm MarchThe Algorithm March is a dance fad created in Japan, based on the children's television series PythagoraSwitch which was broadcast on the educational channel of NHK, a Japanese non-profit public broadcasting service...
- BatusiBatusiBatusi was a 1960s style go-go dance invented for the Batman television series. The name is a pun on the then-popular dance the Watusi.- Performance :...
- BombaBombaBomba is one of the traditional musical styles of Puerto Rico. it is a largely African-derived music. The rhythm and beat are played by a set of floor drums, cuá and a maraca. Dance is an integral part of the music: the dancers move their bodies to every beat of the drum, making bomba a very...
- The BumpBump (dance)The bump was a primarily 1970s fad dance introduced by Johnny Spruce in which the main move is to lightly "bump" hips on every other beat of the music. As the dance progressed, the bumping could become more intimate, bumping hip to backside, low bending, etc...
- Bunny HopBunny hop (dance)The bunny hop is a novelty dance that was created at Balboa High School of San Francisco in 1952. It is a social mixer dance, sometimes also referred to as a "party" or "dance party" dance....
- The Cabbage PatchCabbage patch danceThe cabbage patch dance is a dance involving putting the hands together in the form of fists and moving them in a horizontal, circular motion. The Gucci Crew II had a song describing the dance, as well as Dr. Dre and DJ Yella in 1987...
- Carioca
- The Carlton Dance
- Cha-Cha Slide
- Chicken DanceChicken DanceThe "Chicken Dance" is an oom-pah song and its associated fad dance is now a contemporary American folk dance. The song was composed by accordion player Werner Thomas from Davos, Switzerland, in the 1950s....
- The Chicken WalkHasil AdkinsHasil Adkins was an Appalachian country, rock and roll, and blues musician, though he was frequently considered rockabilly and sometimes primitive jazz...
- "Chicken Noodle SoupChicken Noodle Soup (song)"Chicken Noodle Soup" is a song by producer DJ Webstar from his debut album Webstar Presents: Caught in the Web . It features rappers Young B. and The Voice of Harlem...
" - "Crank That (Soulja Boy)Crank That (Soulja Boy)"Crank That " is the debut single by American rapper Soulja Boy from his debut album souljaboytellem.com. It spent seven weeks at number one on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 in 2007. The song is recognized by its looping steel pan riff. The song was originally produced on the program FL Studio before...
" - Cupid ShuffleCupid Shuffle"Cupid Shuffle" is a song by Cupid from his 2007 studio album Time for a Change. It has spawned a popular line dance and has drawn a lot of comparison to DJ Casper's "Cha Cha Slide."...
- "Do the BartmanDo the Bartman"Do the Bartman" is a pop rap song from the 1990 Simpsons album The Simpsons Sing the Blues. It was performed by The Simpsons cast member Nancy Cartwright and was released as a promotional single from the album on November 20, 1990. The song was written and produced by American recording artist...
" - Electric SlideElectric SlideThe Electric aka The Electric Slide is a four wall line dance set to the Marcia Griffiths' song Electric Boogie. Choreographer Ric Silver created the dance in 1976.- Controversy :...
- The FreddyThe FreddyThe Freddie was a short-lived 1960s dance craze prompted by the release of the songs "I'm Telling You Now," and "Do the Freddie," both by the British band, Freddie and the Dreamers...
- The FrugThe FrugThe Frug was a dance craze from the 1960s that evolved from another dance of the era, the Chicken. The Chicken, which featured lateral body movements, was used primarily as a change of pace step while doing the Twist. As young dancers grew more tired they would do less work, moving only their hips...
- The Grizzly BearGrizzly Bear (dance)The Grizzly Bear is an early 20th century dance style. It started in San Francisco, along with the Bunny Hug and Texas Tommy and was also done on the Staten Island ferry boats in the 1900's. It has been said that dancers John Jarrott and Louise Gruenning introduced this dance as well as the Turkey...
- The Hammer
- Hitch hikeHitch hike (dance)Hitch hike was a dance craze of 1960s. It started with the 1963 Marvin Gaye's hit "Hitch Hike" and refueled with the gold disc of Vanity Fare, "Hitchin' a Ride" ....
- Hokey PokeyHokey PokeyThe hokey cokey or hokey pokey , also known as the okey cokey, hokey tokey, or cokey cokey, is a participation dance with a distinctive accompanying tune and lyric structure. It is well known in English-speaking countries...
, also known as Hokey-cokey, Okey-cokey - Hully GullyHully GullyThe Hully Gully is a type of unstructured line dance often considered to have originated in the sixties, but is also mentioned some forty years earlier as a dance common in the black juke joints in the first part of the twentieth century. In its modern form it consisted of a series of "steps" that...
- The Humpty DanceDigital UndergroundDigital Underground was an alternative hip hop group from Oakland, California. It could have been considered a music "family" rather than a group, as its personnel changed and rotated with each album and tour....
- The HunchHasil AdkinsHasil Adkins was an Appalachian country, rock and roll, and blues musician, though he was frequently considered rockabilly and sometimes primitive jazz...
- HustleHustle (dance)The Hustle is a catchall name for several disco dances which were extremely popular in the 1970s. Today it mostly refers to the unique partner dance done in ballrooms and nightclubs to disco music. It has some features in common with swing dance. Its basic steps are somewhat similar to the...
- JerkThe Jerk (dance)The Jerk was a popular dance in the 1960s. The song You're a Jerk written by Nathan Diaz inspired the jerk to become popular.-Description:...
- Jerkin'Jerkin'Jerkin or Jerk is a street dance from Los Angeles. Since 2009, jerkin' has gained fans along the West Coast and is gaining popularity on the East Coast....
- Jump On It
- The Ketchup SongThe Ketchup Song"The Ketchup Song" is the English title of the song "Aserejé", performed by the Andalusian-Spanish pop group Las Ketchup, which was an international hit in 2002. The song exists in three versions, Spanish, a version in a mixture of English and Spanish, described as "Spanglish", and a version in...
- "Laffy TaffyLaffy Taffy (song)"Laffy Taffy" is a song by Atlanta-based hip-hop group D4L which reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 in January 2006. The song's success on the charts was largely due to its enormous online sales. Produced by Cory Way p/k/a "Born Immaculate, Broderick Thompson Smith and Richard Sims p/k/a...
" - LambadaLambadaLambada is a dance from Pará, Brazil. The dance became internationally popular in the 1980s, especially in Latin America and Caribbean countries...
- Lean Back (Fat Joe)
- Lean wit it, Rock wit it (Snap Dance)
- LetkajenkkaLetkajenkkaLetkajenkka, also known as Letkajenka in English and many other languages, and Letkis is a Finnish dance, a music genre, and both Letkajenkka and Letkis are also proper names, or titles, of songs....
(also known as Letkajenka, Letkiss, Letka-Enka) - LimboLimbo (dance)Limbo is a popular form of dance that originated on the island of Trinidad. The dancer moves to a Caribbean rhythm, then leans backward and dances under a horizontal pole without touching it. Upon touching it or falling backwards, the dancer is "out"...
- The Loco-MotionThe Loco-Motion"The Loco-Motion" is a 1962 pop song written by American songwriters Gerry Goffin and Carole King. The song is notable for appearing in the American Top 5 three times – each time in a different decade: for Little Eva in 1962 ; for Grand Funk Railroad in 1974 ; and for Kylie Minogue in 1988 "The...
- LocomiaLocomiaLocomía is a Spanish pop group popular in the 1980s and 1990s. They combined elements of tropical with British music of the New Wave and New Romantics. Their first hit was the eponymous "Locomia"....
- Macarena
- Mashed PotatoMashed PotatoThe Mashed Potato is a dance move which was a popular dance craze of 1962. It was danced to songs such as Dee Dee Sharp's "Mashed Potato Time". Also referred to as "mash potato" or "mashed potatoes", the move vaguely resembles that of the Twist, by Sharp's fellow Philadelphian, Chubby...
- MadisonMadison (dance)The Madison is a novelty dance that was popular in the late 1950s to mid 1960s. The Madison was created and first danced in Columbus, Ohio, in 1957. The local popularity of the dance and record in Baltimore, Maryland, came to the attention of the producers of The Buddy Deane Show in 1960...
- The Meatstick
- MonkeyMonkey (dance)The Monkey is a novelty dance, most popular in 1963. The dance was popularized by two R&B records: Major Lance's "The Monkey Time", and The Miracles' "Mickey's Monkey" both Top 10 Pop hits released during the summer of 1963....
- The MoonwalkMoonwalk (dance)The moonwalk or backslide is a dance technique that presents the illusion of the dancer being pulled backwards while attempting to walk forward. A popping move, it became most popular around the world after Michael Jackson executed the dance move during a performance of "Billie Jean" on Motown 25:...
- MuscleMuscleMuscle is a contractile tissue of animals and is derived from the mesodermal layer of embryonic germ cells. Muscle cells contain contractile filaments that move past each other and change the size of the cell. They are classified as skeletal, cardiac, or smooth muscles. Their function is to...
- "Peanut Butter Jelly Time"
- Pee-wee Herman dancePee-wee's Big AdventurePee-wee's Big Adventure is a 1985 American adventure comedy film directed by Tim Burton in his full-length debut and starring Paul Reubens as Pee-wee Herman. Reubens also co-wrote the script with Phil Hartman and Michael Varhol. Supporting roles are played by Elizabeth Daily, Mark Holton, Diane...
- PonyPony (dance)The Pony was a dance made popular in the 1960s by the Chubby Checker song "Pony Time". The beat is 1&2, 3&4, etc. In the dance the feet are kept comfortably together, while various arm and hand motions are possible. Movement around the dance floor may occur, but there is no line-of-dance...
- The Roger Rabbit
- The Running ManThe Running Man (dance)The Running Man is a street and fad dance that originated in late 1986 early 1987 and was performed most notably by MC Hammer and Vanilla Ice during their live concert shows and music videos, but achieved renewed popularity in the 2000s. It is also used in some forms of the Melbourne Shuffle dance...
- Safety Dance
- ShimmyShimmyA shimmy is a dance move in which the body is held still, except for the shoulders, which are alternated back and forth. When the right shoulder goes back, the left one comes forward. It may help to hold the arms out slightly bent at the elbow, and when the shoulders are moved, keep the hands in...
- Shoulder LeanShoulder Lean"Shoulder Lean" is the debut single by Young Dro from his debut album Best Thang Smokin. The song features Grand Hustle rapper T.I. for the hook. Production came from Grand Hustle producer C Gutta. The song was a massive hit inside the United States, reaching the Top 10 on the Billboard Hot 100...
- "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)"Single Ladies " is a song by American recording artist Beyoncé Knowles from her third studio album, I Am... Sasha Fierce. It was released by Columbia Records on October 12, 2008 as the album's lead single, and appeared with "If I Were a Boy" as a double A-side single, demonstrating the...
" - The Creep
- The Smurf
- Stanky Leg
- Suzie Q
- Thizzle Dance
- Thunder ClapThunder ClapThe Thunder Clap is a form of dance that incorporates clapping in the air with a sliding motion. To perform this dance one must raise one hand and then with the second hand meet the first one half way making a clapping sound; that hand must then fully extend. This motion is repeated to the beat of...
- "Time Warp"
- The TwistTwist (dance)The Twist was a dance inspired by rock and roll music. It became the first worldwide dance craze in the early 1960s, enjoying immense popularity among young people and drawing fire from critics who felt it was too provocative. It inspired dances such as the Jerk, the Pony, the Watusi, the Mashed...
- The UrkelSteve UrkelSteven Quincy Urkel, generally known as Steve Urkel or simply Urkel, is a fictional character on the ABC/CBS sitcom Family Matters, portrayed by Jaleel White...
- Voguing
- The Wabble
- Watusi
- "YMCA"
See also
- Dance basic topics for a list of general dance topics.
- Summer hitSummer hitA summer hit is a term in entertainment industry which refers to a title released and peaked in its popularity during summer and often later quickly faded away..Rick Lyman, a culture reporter for The New York Times, wrote:...
- list of specific dances for a general, noncategorized index of dances
External links
- Streetswing.com's Dance History Archives hosts a large information base about more than thousand dances.
- Dance Crazes of the 50's & 60's - by Dr. Frank Hoffmann
- sixtiescity - 60s Dance and Dance Crazes
- Go-Go Dancing - Fad and Novelty Dances from the 1960's at Little Miss Go-Go!