Friday, May 15, 2009

dance crazes over the ages

50s


lindy hop- pretty much just a couple swinging each other around like crazy

the stroll- girls on one side and boys on the other and the line moved up as each couple would meet one at a time in the center at the beginning of the line and stroll to the music down the line between the others and take their place at the end of the line, sounds like loads of fun if you ask me

the hand jive- if you don't know, i am not telling you

the alligator- you lay down on the floor, bend your knees to your stomach, then kick your legs (alternating) from your knees down



60s


the twist- take a wild guess what this one looked like, unfortunately this was one of those moves that was popular among both teens and their parents

mashed potato- hop around and pretend you are mashing potatoes with your feet, more or less

the monster mash- same as the mashed potato except you hold your arms in a "ghoulish" positions


the madison- step left forward, place right beside left (no weight)and clap, step back on right, move left foot back and across the right, move left foot to the left, move left foot back and across the right

the freddie- simply stand in place, then, in rhythm with the music first extend the left leg and left arm; then the right leg and right arm, way exciting



70s

the robot- yeah, it's been around a while

the hustle- california or night fever line?

bus stop- take 4 steps backwards, clap, take 4 steps forward, clap, grapevine to the right, clap, grapevine to the left, clap, right heel forward, left heel forward, 2 Heel clicks, right heel forward, left heel forward, right foot front, right foot back, right foot to the right side, lift right leg while quarter- turning left; i couldn't do it justice on my own


80s

the african anteater ritual- you'll have to see Can't Buy Me Love for this one, way too hard to explain but definitely worth seeing

the chinese typewriter- jump from side to side, toes in, toes out

the fishing pole- cast a line, reel it in, repeat

moonwalk- you move one foot backwards keeping all your foot on the floor while your static foot has its heel raised, keep changing foots, it should look as if you are walking forward but the floor is pulling you back, a MJ classic, what a guy


90s

hammer dance- my dad claims to have done this one, says it was very popular with the ladies, by M.C. Hammer, he wore those baggy genie pants, keep legs wide apart, slightly bents, shuffle quickly one way, then the other, yeah, hot stuff

the jump- bet cha can't guess what this one looked like

tootsee roll- knees in, knees out, knees in, knees out, can you say scandalous?

macarena- anyone and their grandma could do this dance, how did it become a craze?

moshing or a mosh pit- not really a dance move but definitely a dance craze, don't worry though, being part of the nineties means your parents didn't do it, hopefully

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