Same Sex Dance Camp June 27 & 28, 2008

Make friends

The following is Queer Jitterbugs view on how it all started!
Swing is many things but it is truely an American dance: 1. "Jazz Dance Swing" authentic vintage styles 2. "Ballroom Swing" and "Socially developed Swing" 1. "Jazz Dance Swing" styles were developed from African American communities as vernacular African American dances... 1920's Charleston and African American Tap influance with syncopations were also an influance in the evolution of the original swing dances. A number of forms of Swing (Balboa, Collegiate Shag, Saint Louis Shag and later Caronlina Shag) developed within Anglo-American or other ethnic group communities but most are based on the influance from the authentic American Jazz sound. These authentic vintage swing dances pre 1940's swing era such as Lindy Hop, Balboa, Collegiate Shag, Saint Louis Shag and later Caronlina Shag have evolved and influanced newer swing dances. Jitterbug is often associated with one form of swing dance, but is not in fact a general term for all swing dances and is more appropriately used to describe a swing dancer rather than a specific swing dance 2. Newer swing dances "Ballroom Swing" and "Socially developed Swing" Such dances evolved in the 1950's, 1960's and later: Eastern Swing, Fox Trot, East Coast Swing, City Swing, West Coast Swing, Western Swing, also called Country Swing or Country/Western Swing (C/W Swing), Boogie-woogie, Imperial Swing, Jive, Rockabilly Jive, Skip Jive, Modern Jive - also known as LeRoc and Ceroc - Ballroom Jive, Swing Jive, Rock and Roll, Acrobatic Rock'n'Roll, Washington Hand Dancing, Push and Whip and many others... Lindy Hop developed as the first partners dancing in which they broke away from each other and then came back together. This "swing out" became known as Lindy Hop in the late 1920¹s when Charles Lindbergh took his historic transatlantic flight (Lindy hopped the Pond). Jitterbug was a slang term for Swing dancers (the Queer word "Jitterbug"). Lindy Hop was primarily danced in African American clubs in Harlem like the Savoy Ballroom but Balboa and Collegiate Shag were . Although an identity of Queer culture was not as it is now Men would dance with each other to learn new steps and so would Women! If we only new what was happening in those seedy speakeasy's, underground Homosexual clubs, and Harlem dance clubs; Black clubs actually didn't care too much if Homosexuals were there. Dance was an escape during the Depression era for some and through W.W.II a distraction. Many swing styles are done today; The original, Lindy Hop, is danced with 6 and 8 count steps and improvisations; the original style is called "Savoy" because of the notoriety of the Savoy Ballroom and it's dancers like Frankie Manning, Frieda Washington, Norma Miller, Shorty George Snowden, Al Minns and Leon James. Later the 6 count, some call incorectly the Jitterbug, led to the dance now known as East Coast Swing. Other styles grew from this original Lindy Hop. Lindy Hop Styles: "Hollywood" or "Smooth" Style Lindy Hop is another style that puts more emphasis on footwork and triple steps. Movements and posture are slightly different than Savoy style and the actual swing out or whip looks smoother. Danced in Southern California since the thirties, it was spurred on by the teaching and performance of Dean Collins and later such dancers as Freda Angela Wyckoff, Ray Hirsch, and many others. Originally a Savoy Ballroom dancer, Collins brought what he had learned in Harlem to L.A. Collins and his dancers appeared in a large number of Hollywood films in the forties and fifties. The term "Hollywood" is from teachers Eric and Sylvia. There are numerous styles of Smooth Style; for instance Smooth from Northern California may be slightly different than that of Southern California Smooth dancers. West Coast Swing also another dance is a form of Lindy Hop usually done to slower, bluesier music; It is California's state dance! Balboa is: Danced in closed position, fairly upright posture with both partners standing 'chest to chest.' Its simplicity and economy of movement make it suited to fast tempo music. But can be danced to all tempos! Started in the early 1930's by dancers in the Los Angeles area such as Maxie Dorf, Willie Desatoff, Hal Takier & Ann Mills, to mention but a few. The dance was named after Balboa Island in the Newport Beach area which was the location of the Rendezvous Ballroom. The dance is known for its romantic closeness, fast and fancy footwork and effortless flow. This is a dance you perform to songs as slow as Tuxedo Junction or as fast as White Heat! Its romantic closeness, fast & fancy footwork, effortless flow and simplicity and economy of movement make it suited to fast tempo music or slow romantic swaying tunes. This is a dance you perform to songs as slow as Tuxedo Junction or as fast as White Heat! Started in the early 1930's by dancers in the Los Angeles area such as Maxie Dorf, Willie Desatoff, Hal Takier and Ann Mills, to mention but a few. The dance was named after Balboa Island in the Newport Beach area which was the location of the Rendezvous Ballroom. Balboa has two main forms and two timings: Pure Balboa: In this form, dancers remain with their torsos touching, doing variations based on footwork. Main footwork variations include single-time Balboa, double-time Balboa, and triple-time Balboa. Bal Swing: In this form, dancers separate their bodies for spins and turns, much like in swing dance, returning to pure Balboa on occasion. Basic Balboa Timing holds on the four and eight. Break Time Balboa (what some call Willie Desatoff's Style) holds on the three and seven. Charleston is: Social dance of the United States popular in the mid-1920s. The Charleston is characterized by outward heel kicks combined with an up-and-down movement achieved by bending and straightening the knees in time to the syncopated 4/4 rhythm of ragtime jazz. The steps are thought to have originated with the African Americans living on a small island near Charleston, S.C. Performed in Charleston as early as 1903, the dance made its way into Harlem stage shows by 1913. The male chorus line danced and sang James P. Johnson's "Charleston" in the musical Runnin' Wild on Broadway in 1923. Both dance and song, expressive of the reckless daring, abandon, and restlessness of the jazz-age flappers, soon became the rage throughout the United States. Collegiate Shag is: Originated in the 1930’s. Parents wanted their children to learn Waltz and other partner dances, but the younger generation didn’t want anything to do with that. They decided to learn but to make it as crazy as possible. Thus Collegiate Shag was born. It was hugely popular with the college kids, hence the name, all across the United States. It was so popular that Arthur Murray even made it part of his curriculum. He cleaned it up and made it really smooth, creating two schools of shag, Wild and Crazy & Smooth and Quiet. Collegiate Shag can be anything you want it to be, and that’s the fun of it. Collegiate Shag is a 6 count dance and anything can be incorporated into it, including East Coast Swing. Saint Louis Shag St. Louis shag is a swing dance that evolved from Charleston.[1] As its name suggests, it is recognized as being started in St. Louis, Missouri. It is a very fast closed position dance that is usually done to stomp, jump, and boogie-woogie music. The dance may be done in the "side-by-side" Charleston position. The steps are: rock step, kick forward, step down, kick forward (other leg), stag, step, stomp (repeat).[2] The "stag" is bringing the leg up with the knee bent. As a variation, when repeating, one can do two forward kicks (or "switch, switch," referring to switching feet) in place of the rock step. Carolina Shag Carolina Shag is a six count partner dance done mostly to moderate tempo music (100-150 bpm). During the dance the upper body and hips hardly move as the legs do convoluted kicks and fancy footwork. The lead is the center of attention, and the follow's steps either mirror the lead's or mark time while the lead shows off with spins and other gyrations. Carolina Shag is the state dance of North Carolina and South Carolina, and is still popular amongst residents of both states. Carolina Shag can trace its origins to the southern United States during the Big Band Era of the 1930s and 40s. One of the earliest documented references to a dance called "Carolina Shag" appears in a Helen Powell Poole article in 1936.[1] Whether this article refers to an early version of the contemporary dance by the same name is still a matter of debate, as some historians[1] claim that Carolina Shag is a descendant of Carolina Jitterbug, and its predecessor, Little Apple (whose origins can supposedly be traced to Columbia, S.C. in 1937). These historians claim that a slower six-count variation of Carolina Jitterbug (which is 8-count) was what gave rise to contemporary Carolina Shag. Soldiers from the north are said to have influenced its six-count rhythm.[2] "Shag" itself (when used in reference to American vernacular dances) is a very broad term that denotes a number of swing dances that originated during the early part of the 20th century. Arthur Murray mentioned one form of Shag in his 1937 book "Let's Dance"[2]. This article states that shag was known throughout the entire country under various names, like "Flea Hop". And, a New York writer sent to Tulsa, Oklahoma in late 1940/early 1941 noted an "Oklahoma version of shag" done to the Western Swing music of Bob Wills and his Texas Playboys at the Cain's Dancing Academy in Tulsa."[3] Some dance historians say there is evidence to suggest that the term "shagger" was used to refer to vaudeville performers in the late 19th century[3], who were known to have danced the Flea Hop. Later "shag" became a blanket term that signified a broad range of jitterbugging (swing dancing). In the 1930s there were arguably a hundred or more variations of the dance, which differ in various respect depending upon the geographic region in which they were done. Thus, Carolina Shag often bears only the faintest resemblance to other dances that share the shag designation. Contemporary St. Louis shag, for instance, (an eight-count dance) does not look much like contemporary Carolina Shag, though both originated in the Swing era of the 1930s and 40s. Though St. Louis shag is still often danced to swing music, Carolina shag is more closely associated with a variant of rhythm and blues known as "beach music." And, for this reason, many dancers no longer consider Carolina Shag to be a true swing dance. The term "Carolina Shag" is thought to have originated along the strands between Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, and Wilmington, North Carolina, during the 1940s. According to Bo Bryan, a noted Carolina Shag historian and resident of Beaufort County, the term was coined at Carolina Beach, North Carolina. Today, the shag is a recognized dance in national and international dance competitions held across the United States. The 1989 film Shag starring Bridget Fonda, Phoebe Cates, Annabeth Gish, and Page Hannah as four high school friends on their last road trip together before graduation, was filmed in Myrtle Beach and features the Carolina shag. There is even Country Swing; In Europe and Australia, swing dance styles include Boogie Woogie, Ceroc, Rock'n'Roll, etc; In Ballroom competitions Swing is only danced with 6 counts similar to East Coast but more upright, it is called Jive. Information for the history of swing was gathered from various sources; Please refer to the sites below: This was swing history in a nutshell from various sources. Learn about your own favorite dance; here are some other sites with swing history: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swing_(dance) http://www.centralhome.com/ballroom country/swing.htm http://www.uwswing.com/history.html http://www.swingmonterey.org/swinghistory.htm http://www.lindyhop.co.uk http://www.savoystyle.com http://www.sfjitterbugs.com or http://www.oldtimey.net/tanoajulia.html	Where a dance was notarized and a style was named! Balboa Rendevous Balboa Rendevous San Francisco originated dances & other early dances... Some original SF Dances (according to http://www.streetswing.com/histmain/d5index.htm) Turkey Trot A dance invented in San Francisco around 1909 according to most historians, but some have reported that it came from Central America in the 1860's (unlikely). -- It has been said that dancers John Jarrott and Louise Gruenning introduced this dance as well as the Grizzly Bear at Ray Jones Cafe' in Chicago, IL. around 1909. The name Turkey Trot relating to dancing goes back further to 1895 in the song "Pas Ma La" where the dancer is urged to got to the World's Fair and do the Turkey Trot dance, so its probably a folk dance. -- The Turkey Trot was not a very graceful dance, but is considered one of the first of the so called animal dances to catch on with the public. The Trot was basically a face to face dance (meaning: not danced off to the side of each other like the Peabody,) taking one step on each beat of music, while holding her tightly around the waist. While dancing the Turkey Trot, dancers would sway to and fro, going in a straight line around the floor, while occasionally "Pumping or Flapping" of the arms was encouraged, thus giving the name of the Turkey Trot. Occasionally the man would let go of the lady and dance behind her, and on occasion add a little hop or skip in the step. -- Many people thought of the Turkey Trot as demoralizing and tried "Bans" on the dance but this only added to it's popularity, even the Castles tried to eliminate this dance from society in 1914, even tho it was the dance that gave them their first break in the business. -- A few examples: 1) on July 22, 1913, written in a dance card from the Exposition Park dancing pavilion in Conneaut Lake, PA. it was written that "the Bear Dance (Grizzly Bear) and Turkey Trot would not be tolerated." 2) A Paterson, New Jersey court imposed a fifty day prison sentence on young women for doing the Turkey Trot. 3) 15 Women were fired from a well known magazine for doing the Turkey-Trot during their lunch break, and there are many more stories like these such as the Vatican's official's issue of disapproval. --- However, the music was fun to listen to and made you move your feet and most of all was a fun dance to do in that day of time. As with most dances, if the average dancer could dance to it, it would become popular with the masses and the musical breaks were easy to master. The Turkey Trot allowed you to dance close to your partner, unlike the old Waltz and was not hard to do. In his book "The modern dance" by Ham writes: -- "the Houston Chronicle reported: "Turkey Leg" is the newest disease. It gets its name because it comes from "turkey trotting" too much. High society, the kind that dwells in Newport, has it. Houston, if it turkey trots too much, may get it. And Houston mothers as well as Newport mothers have of recent date become worried. Doctors to the turkey trotting rich say that the only cure is to shake your leg or get it pulled several times daily. The cause is that turkey trotters trot mostly on one leg. This shortens and cramps one leg, causing pains and aches. Hence the doctors and the "shakes" and pulls. Another worry is the "split" bathing skirt. They have appeared in force at Newport and a few dared the surf at Galveston. One in brilliant red, much slashed, was at the Breakers last Sunday. Next Sunday The Chronicle will print a full page story illustrated in colors about the new "Turkey Leg" illness and the split skirt." (note: they were jokingly printing this article.) --- Most couples dances of the time had some kind of animal name attached to it (thought to make it successful) such as the Bunny Hug, Horse Trot, Buzzard Lope and Grizzly Bear to name a few. The Turkey Trot was replaced by the Fox Trot in 1914. Bunny Hug It is said, originated in San Francisco at the "Fairmont Hotel" in 1911 along with the Texas Tommy, Turkey Trot and Grizzly Bear. Dr. Adams, who wrote 'The Social Dance' book states: 'The Bunny Hug is danced in imitation of the sex relations between male and female rabbits.' However, his book was pretty much "Antidance". The dance was a pretty steamy grinding, shaking and wiggling dance for the day and was usually danced to real slow blues. The Bunny Hug caused alot of uproar in polite society which created alot of press coverage for these type of dances. --- Noble Sissle has been quoted as saying that W.C. Handy's "Memphis Blues" song inspired Vernon Castle to create the dance when he heard James Reese Europe play the Memphis blues and Castle liked the rhythm. Sissle went on to say that Castle later renamed the Bunny Hug the Fox-trot. (This is highly unlikely, see fox-trot!) --- 1938 - Stage magazine, repeated an earlier statement: "We hear the Two-step and an outrageously indecent display called the Bunny Hug are gaining favor with the younger element. Let them watch their steps, these young sensationalists. The time will come when they will tire of this eternal jogging and jerking, and find more surcease in the grace and restful beauty of the Valse". -- On March 27th, 1913 Mr. Ed Spence of Grants Pass, Oreagon was knifed 11 times while trying to enforce a rule at his club 'Holland' that no animal dances allowed, He caught a couple doing the Bunny Hug and had an arguement over it. (...Hugh Wetshoe) -- In 1914, Germany introduced a dance entitled "The Rabbit Dance" which was said to be just like the American Bunny Hug. Grizzly bear Started in San Francisco, along with the Bunny Hug, Texas Tommy and Grizzly Bear. The Bear dance as it was often called 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 Trot at Ray Jones Cafe' in Chicago, IL. around 1909. The Grizzly Bear was first introduced to New York's Broadway audiences in the Show "Over the River in 1910 thru the song "Everybody's Doin' it Now, the song contains the repeated phrase "It's a Bear". Later the Ziegfeld Follies of 1911 would feature the Bear dance by Miss Fanny Brice -- The dance was rough and clumsy, the picture above is character of the actual Grizzly Bear, as you can see, the hold is where it gets its name. During the dance, the dancers would yell out: "Its a Bear!." The genuine Grizzly Bear step was in correct imitation of the movements of a dancing bear, moving or dancing to the side. A very heavy step to the side with a decided bending of the upper part of the body from one side to the other, a decidedly ungraceful and undignified movement when performed as a dance. -- Most writers (teachers) of the time wanted to do away with the Grizzly Bear at society dances as it was not a very pretty or sophisticated dance. * In 1910, Sophie Tucker (Last of the Red Hot Mama's), was arrested for singing the Grizzly Bear and the "Angle Worm Wiggle." * On July 22, 1913, written in a dance card from the Exposition Park dancing pavilion in Conneaut Lake, PA. it was written that the Bear Dance and Turkey Trot would not be tolerated. Most dances of the day would refer to some type of animal in the name, whether it had anything to do with one or not. -- Vernon and Irene Castle had allot to do with the demise of the Grizzly Bear, as well as the Bunny Hug, the Turkey Trot and Texas Tommy. The Bear was finally shot when the Fox Trot appeared on the scene in 1914. M.F. Ham in his book "The Modern Dance" states that the grizzly bear came from the low Chinese dives of San Francisco. --- Most couples dances of the time had some kind of animal name attached to it (thought to make it successful) such as the Bunny Hug, Horse Trot, Buzzard Lope and Turkey Trot to name a few. Texas Tommy It is said by many to be the first swing dance. The main reason being that during this period (1909), all the dances were done in "closed" position, this was supposedly the first modern dance of the time to include the "break-away" step (energetically dancing from closed to open position) while using the basic 8 count rhythm of swing dance. -- The dance is described by many who were alive during the time as a rough Lindy Hop style, only with a different starting pattern (Stearns book gives a pretty good insight to the dance). The basic footwork was a Kick and a Hop three times on each foot. Imagine using a modern 6 count timing, it might have been something like: 1-2&3 = Kick-step-step-step = Lt-Lt-Rt-Lt - repeat other foot 4-5&6 (also see 8 count at bottom.) After these steps were done, dancers did the Break-Away step and did what ever they wanted to do, then back to the basic step again. The Break-Away is described as pretty forceful during the time, as their were acrobatics with the "throwing of their partners around" involved at times. Stearns also write that this dance was done many times with 4 to 6 couples at a time --- Many dance bands of the day would travel the "band circuit" from San Francisco thru Mississippi to Kentucky, New Orleans etc., and end in New York and then start back again. The first written record was in San Francisco, California in 1909. Many dance bands or composers of the day would write dance music that had the directions for doing the dance in the verses, such as the Maxixe, Texas Tommy, Bunny Hug, Grizzly Bear, Turkey Trot etc. At the time, many Composer / Musicians would look for a new dance to write a song about. --- The "Fairmont Hotel" in San Francisco is written to have given birth to the Texas Tommy, which had a house band that regularly played the Texas Tommy music and was a major place to be for dancing. Dancers from Lew Purcell's would dance the Texas Tommy and make it popular in San Francisco, many of these dancers would bring some of the dances with them to the Fairmont, which was the swankiest Hotel and ballroom at the time. Anyone who was anyone could be found at the Fairmont doing all the latest dances. -- Who originated the Texas Tommy is obscure, but most likely it was being done and someone capitalized upon it. Some say "Johnny Peters and his partner Mary Dewsen," two African-Americans, brought the the dance to San Francisco in 1911 from the South... but exactly where, they don't say. Peters and Ethel Williams became partners in 1912 and after Dewsen became ill, Williams replaced her in Al Jolsons troupe. Williams and Peters danced in contests all over the country and especially New York City and the Barbary Coast, winning many contest dancing the One-Step, Maxixe, Tango and Texas Tommy, etc., they were masters of the Tommy and reportedly danced it regularly at the Fairmont when in town. --- --- The Broadway musical entitled "The Darktown Follies" held at the "Lafayette Theater", Harlem in 1913 had a performance by Ethel Williams dancing with Peters along with some other performers, performing a dance called the "Texas Tommy." The dance was a huge success of the show, only bested by the group Circle dance by the cast. However her written performance mentioned earlier supercedes this date of it originating here as has been written (Note: "Ballin' The Jack" was also introduced in this Musical.) --- Another dance called the "Apache Dance" used a "break-away" ... the most popular pattern in the Apache was a "Behind the Back turn" (pattern), most people to this day call this pattern the "Texas Tommy" in Lindy Hop or "Apache Whip/Turn" in West Coast Swing, so the older Apache Dance may have had something to do with the Texas Tommy... as the Apache was popular around 1903 and the Apache was really the first dance to use the break-away pattern described above. --- Tommy by the way was a slang term for a Trench or Foot Soldier in the 1800-1910's, which the song title could be saying Texas Soldier. A 'Texas' Tommy was a female prostitute who worked the trenches and/or walked the streets in the early 1900s. -- The Texas Tommy may go all the way back to the Civil War... however unlikely; There was a famous black dancer named "Tom from Palestine," Texas, that was known for "putting a glass of water on his head and making his feet go like trip-hammers and sounding something like a snare drum," he would "whirl around and such" while all his movements were from the "waist down, without spilling a drop of water." He was known as "The Jigginest fellow ever was" (sounds like Juba.) Although this does not sound like a swing dance because he danced by himself, and was probably doing a form of Jig or Buck dancing, he may have later had something to do with the rhythms and such. Another may have been in east Texas, by a well known Blues Pioneer "Ragtime Texas Henry" Thomas in the late 1800's, who played at many "Juke Joints" along the way to his fame. note: 1) Also, there was a dance called "Come To Me Tommy" which allowed dancers to dance real close, around 1912? (possible relation? ... dunno.) 2) In B.F. Keith's Programme for his shows (Vaudeville Bill), writing about the "upcoming attractions on sept, 13, 1916", it states in one actors description that "Even overseas in the trenches the tommies sing". (never seen this word used this way in a dance program except for there, could have meant a Soldier). Probably no relation, but thought you might find it interesting? 3) 10th Annual Rexall Drug Convention (A Smokers Convention) held Sept 17-20, 1912. in St. Louis at the St. Louis Coliseum featured Texas Tommy Dancers.