Evolution of Dance in the 20th Century

Dance is the way we express ourselves when our words are insufficient. We all want to be understood, and dance is the best way to convey motion

Dance in the 1920’s

The 1920s witnessed the proliferation of many new and older dances. Early in the decade, flappers appropriated the “Charleston,” a previously popular African-American dance. Other new dance styles emerged that soon had everyone copying them. In addition to the “Charleston,” these styles included “Black Bottom,” “Raccoon,” “Varsity Drag,” “Collegiate,” and “Tango”. Dance marathons were competitions that tested the endurance of participants. These social events started a craze that challenged contestants to dance as long as they could despite fatigue. Large crowds gathered to watch dance marathons, and many attempted to set new records. In 1923, the record hit a high at 182 hours. Social dancing at nightclubs, however, won most peoples’ favor.

Dance in the 1930’s

In the thirties the tides turned again from jazz to swing. The moves started incorporating tap and jazz into the dances. New styles developed like the Lindy Hop and the Jitterbug. The Lindy Hop was named after Charles Lindbergh after he flew across the Atlantic and the jitterbug was a slang term used meaning the best dance partner. Swing, like jazz, was not accepted at first. It was compared to the economical stability of the country and not expected to stay popular.

Dance in the 1940’s

The last majorly popular kind of dance introduced in the 1940’s, was the jazz dance. Jazz dancing was the first of it’s kind to use a specific kind of music to electrify audiences

Dance in the 1950’s

The Boogie Woogie. As a dance style, Boogie Woogie encompassed any kind of swing dancing done fast and was also called “Jump Swing.” The Bop. The Bop dance style derivates from the Jitterbug and East Coast Swing in the 1950s….

Dance in the 1960’s

The Twist, a dance done by swiveling the hips, became a worldwide dance craze in the early 1960’s. The Twist became extremely popular after Chubby Checker danced the Twist while singing the song of the same name on the Dick Clark Show.

Dances of the 70’s & 80’s

1970’s to the 1980’s, various music styles emerged ranging … counterculture, to freely dance was an important part of disco culture.

Dance in the 1990’s

There will never be an era in music that will be more loved than 90’s Hip Hop! You can dance to it, sing at the top of your lungs and of course, get nostalgic about the good days.