Hully Gully
Before Rock and Roll exploded on the scene in the mid-'50s, there had been periods when novelty and fad dances were the rage. But Rock was accompanied by a plethora of songs that had a dance connected with them. If you can remember dancing to these musical numbers, you're probably a New Senior?
First a little history, new dances are being introduced all the time; however, few of them have longevity. The Charleston and Jitterbug were spawned in the mid-'20s, but latter is the only one that continues to enjoy popularity. Classic Latin dances continue to appeal to a segment of the population. Rumba lines gave way to the Bunny Hop as well as the Huck-A-Buck and later to other line dances.
The earliest of the rock era dances was a line dance: the Madison. This come on the scene in the late '50s and may have prompted the creation of many others novelty dances. Interestingly, this dance was developed in Columbus, Ohio - hardly the bastion of Rock. While its popularity waned, the Madison lives on in the show and movie Hairspray.
In 1959, Hank Ballard wrote and sang the Twist. It was moderately successful, but became a hit -- make that a rage -- when a young man from Philadelphia, Chubby Checker, performed the dance on American Bandstand in 1960. This was the beginning of a craze that extended over the next decade.
Chubby Checker is arguably the king of novelty dances. He had a couple of Twist hits and introduced other dances such as the Pony and the Limbo Rock. He also introduced us to a young woman protégé who showed us how to do the Mashed Potato.
Here are some other dances that might bring back some fond memories. The Stroll and other line dances such as the Watusi, Hully Gully and the Loco-Motion all had their moments of fame. These are still performed at weddings, graduation parties and other such celebrations.
Then there's a litany of other unrelated dances born during the '60s. These include Butterfly, Swim, Jerk, Hitch Hike, Monkey, Dog Chicken (not the Chicken Dance that came later) Frug and Shake. Can you think of others?
In the '70s, music changed as did dance. That decade did give us the Hustle, which became the Electric Slide and is a line dance now enjoyed by Country and Western music fans.
The Lambada and Macarena were products of the '90s. But nothing can match the popularity of the dances that were part of the early days of Rock and Rock and the dances that went with that unique period in our lives. What was the first one you learned? Which one was your favorite?
Don Potter is a Philadelphia native and 50 year veteran of the advertising agency business. Now living in Los Angeles, he has written two novels in retirement and frquently writes and speaks on marketing issues. Potter is the founder and editor-in-chief of NewSeniors.com, the first online magazine dedicated to those 65+.
NewSeniors.com articles provide thoughts, comments and opinions designed to spark thinking, foster discussion and stimulate debate. The editorial content features general news and information as well as videos of interest to the burgeoning 65+ audience. A touch of nostalgia is also included. Learn more by logging on to http://www.NewSeniors.com
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Hully Gully
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