Dance In The 50s Research Paper

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The extravagant James Dean's sneer and Elvis Presley's intense gyrating hips are iconic of the era of the '50s in the U.S. and the U.K.; the era was highlighted by teens exploring alternatives to the cultural stereotypes embraced by their parents. With swing dance leading the way, formal ballroom-style dances were replaced with athletic, improvisatory and even acrobatic movements. By the time the 60s arrived, couples were barely even dancing together, with individual dance styles accompanying the rock-n-roll takeover of the young music scene. But in between the 40s and the 60s, 50s style dance showed definite aspects of both. The popular dances of this period are still very popular in clubs all over the world, and are still taught in dance studios and even online. 50s style dance remains an amazingly fun and vibrant way to…show more content…
Along with new sounds, new dance crazes quickly swept the nation. On television, "American Bandstand" appeared each afternoon, and teenagers throughout the United States could hear the new sounds and learn dances to go along with them. Dances in the '50s were done individually, as couples, or in groups. Many dances were named for the songs that inspired them. In the case of the Twist, the dance inspired the song, not the other way around. Hank Ballard saw some teens doing the dance and wrote the famous song "The Twist" in 1955, hiring Chubby Checker to sing the track. The dance craze caught on quickly, as it was simple to do. Dancers remained in one spot while twisting their hips back and forth. The song and its dance served as the inspiration for other Twist-related songs, including "Twist and Shout" by the Isley Brothers and Chubby Checker's "Let's Twist Again." The Stroll was a group dance that was done in two lines, with boys on one side and girls on the other. There are many versions of the "stroll" style dance. The Stroll of the '50s was danced to a slow groove of rhythm and

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