20th Century-WPS Office

PHYSICAL EDUCATION AND HEALTH 3 dances and popular Argentine music.
The Tango is a highly

sensual and erotic dance performed by a couple with close
20th Century body contact and direct eye contact. The increasing acceptance
for the dance reached Paris, Europe, London, and New York.
The early part of the 20TH century can be best described as a
In 1914 another animal dance was developed - the foxtrot.
period of "dance fever" wherein the young and old alike were
The Arthur Carringford’s famous two slow steps followed
not limited to express their emotions through dance. With the
by four quick steps gained popularity in society and were
introduction of ragtime, people were not afraid to show their brought in dance halls. His stage name was Harry Fox and he
energetic movements such as skipping and running barefoot. performed in New York vaudeville theaters.
Ragtime is a type of music known for its syncopated melodic
line and regularly accented accompaniment played especially During the early 1920s, also known as the Jazz Age or the
on the piano. Scott Joplin, an African-American composer and Roaring Twenties, the Charleston, the Black Bottom, and
pianist, created the influential ragtime piece "Maple Leaf Rag" the Lindy Hop were introduced.
which made him famous among both black and white societies. The Charleston, which originated in the harbor city of
After the first decade, the collaboration of husband and wife, Charleston, South Carolina, was done in 4/4 time and can be
Vernon and Irene Castle, transformed social dance from a set performed solo, with a partner, or with a group. Though it is
structure of steps to a series of figures for couples. The castle usually performed in place, it looks like normal walking. Its
walk, accompanied by the song "Castle Rag," was performed simplicity made it easy for performers to improvise.
in the close dance position with the men walking backward and The Black Bottom originated in New Orleans and has
the women moving forward, then repeated in the open position. movements similar to the Charleston. "The Original Black
Despite the criticism from anti-dance groups, the Castles Bottom Dance" was printed in 1919 and the dance became a
continued to introduce more steps that imitate animal moves fad in American society in the mid-20s.
such as the turkey trot, the fox trot, the bunny hug, and the
grizzly bear with scandalous close embraces. With these fresh The Lindy Hop was an American dance that originated in
moves, people got more interested in dancing. Harlem, New York City. It was a combination of many dances
such as jazz, tap, breakaway, and Charleston. It was
In Buenos Aires, another dance was developed with mixed sometimes referred to as a street dance because of its
cultural elements from African, Native American, and Latin improvisational and social nature.
Latin dance and music have been identified as a fusion of teenagers were varied in steps and style but were still swing-
American music styles. Dances such as rumba, mambo, and based.
cha cha-cha from Cuba and samba from Brazil became
popular in America during the 1930s and 1940s, as they were Among the prevalent dances were the jitterbug or swing, the
popularized by movie stars. Lindy, the rock'n'roll, and the boogie-woogie or Bop. Bop was
new then but was usually referred to as Charleston-like steps
The Rumba is considered the "grandfather of the Latin danced in place, sometimes without a partner.
dances." It is a dance that narrates love and passion between a
tough male lover and a timid, mischievous woman. With its The Bossa nova also emerged in this decade and earned its
sensual hip action movements and intense sharp eye contact, it popularity in the early 1960s. It is a Latin dance in 2/4
is considered to be the sexiest ballroom dance. syncopated time. It is a combination of samba rhythm and jazz,
resulting in a Latin mix. Eydie Gorme recorded the first bossa
The Mambo music comes from a very old tradition of Africa nova dance music entitled "Blame it on the Bossa Nova."
which consisted of multifaceted rhythms. The word "mambo"
was not initially a term for a dance, but simply an Afro-Cuban
name for polymetric or rhythm against rhythm. The mambo is The Boogaloo gained its fame through the songs "Boogaloo
the music of voodoo and the music of the people. Blues" and "I Like It Like That." The dance is a combination
The cha-cha-cha was derived from the mambo and the swing. of Latin, African American, rhythm and blues, rock 'n' roll, and
Like most Latin dances, the dancers' feet remain close to the soul music. It lasted only during the decade but returned the
floor, the hips are relaxed to allow free movement in the pelvic following decade in the West Coast with a funky style that
area, and the upper body shifts over the supporting foot as the featured head and body rolls and unconventional leg
steps are taken. movements.
Meanwhile the samba has a distinct look and feel because of In the early 1960s, Chubby Checker first performed and
its "samba bounce action," a light, effortless, and carefree introduced the twist on American Bandstand. The dance was
movement from the knees and ankles. accidentally invented while he was drying himself with a towel
after taking a shower. The twist was an expression of
In 1950, after World War II, there was a shift from dance bands individualism-there were no definite roles for men or women.
to concerts in nightclubs. Most of the movements of the The dancers danced apart, stood in one place and twisted their
hips from side to side, pivoting on their feet. The movements In the last two decades of the 20 th century, choreographers and
were free and provocative. dancers continued to explore new directions. Individual
statements, revised old themes, and stretching the medium
The British introduced the Mod dance and it was brought to through collaboration and technology were the main focus. In
America in 1963. The "cool" narcissistic teenagers who 1983 "King of Pop" Michael Jackson released his music
rebelled against the emotionalism of rock 'n' roll were among video of "Thriller," while Madonna had "Like a Virgin."
the first to perform this dance. It was a free-flowing and jerky
dance that required a partner. Some examples of Mod dances In the 1980s there was a continuous innovation in social
are the Pony, the Crow, the Monkey, the Boomerang, the dances, while western line dances gained their popularity
Saw, the Freddy, the Jump-Up, the Slop, the Skate, the Ski, throughout the 1990s. In 1983 the popularity of disco dance
the Jerk, the Kick, and the Let Kiss. slowly declined; but other dances were introduced, such as
pop-rock, rap, techno, and rhythm and blues. In 1990 disco
The psychedelic dance was introduced during the widespread came back to be a part of pop and hip-hop dances again and its
use of psychedelic drugs in 1967 at Haight Ashbury, San influence on the said dances can still be seen and heard today.
Francisco. The dance was experimental and freeform in
nature, affected by drug-induced exhibitionism. Psychedelic
culture and dance aimed at ecstasy and individual self-
absorption, representing the lifestyle of people who refuse and The funk music started in the late 60s by James Brown, Jimi
reject rules established by society. Hendrix, and Earth, Wind and Fire introduced the 1970s funk
rock. Lyrics became more explicit in music synthesizers in the
The 1970s marked the dance bang as the disco clubs early 80s and from the mid-80s to the 90s, funk rock and funk
progressed from Europe to the United States that featured metal were popular among rock artists. The era of funk
African American and Latino artists and Disco jocks created nostalgia began in the mid-90s.
music from jazz, soul, and rhythm and blues.
Popular fad dances emerged in the 80s and the 90s. Village
In 1975 a Cuban dance that originated in New York City People performed the song YMCA in 1978. The group used
called the hustle became popular and was used in the movie cheerleading arm positions to spell out the letters of the song.
Saturday Night Fever. Since then, it became part of the
American pop culture and kept its popularity for the last two Macarena hit the US 100 song charts for 60 weeks and
decades. became the dance craze among the youth with its arm
movements and hip swiveling.
Street dance began in California during the 70s and was
performed both in nightclubs and on the streets. It is associated
with funk, breakdancing, and hip-hop. Through the
improvisations in movements and style, the individual
expressions are very evidently performed. The vernacular style,
which is very common among the urban communities, became
the source of dance battles as a substitute for street fighting.
From this informal dance battle known as jamming, it
transformed into a global event, an annual breakdance
competition known as the Battle of the Year.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION AND HEALTH 3 dances and popular Argentine music.

The Tango is a highly

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