Dance Dance Revolution

The evolution of dance has taken many turns in its lifetime, as documented by one enthusiastic performer to comical results. Even with as many different styles that are documented in this video, there are still many more that have been missed. From as far back as the 1920s there has been a dance craze that swept the nation. (This is not to say that dance originated in the 20s; only that this blog chooses to start it's focus at that point in time.) Dances in the roaring 20s were much different than dances today. The Charleston is a classic example from this era. Notice how this dance has a complex yet simplistic style to it. This is just as much evidence of a difference in musical styles as it is a difference in the dancing of the time. Fast forward to the 1970s and songs like YMCA by the Village People or the Time Warp, which was introduced to us by Rocky Horror Picture Show, and you see what I mean. These dances were probably easier to do but did not have the classic feel of dances such as the Charleston. The 80s simplified things even more with the Electric Slide. It wasn't until the 90s that we saw a complexity start to reemerge in the world of dance. This was more evident with the Cha Cha Slide than in other dances such as the Macarena. The Macarena become repetitive after awhile, but the Cha Cha Slide made an attempt to mix things up a bit more. Finally we come to the present. For those who have been scared of the Disney generation ever since N'Sync broke up I caution you to look away from the complex dance craze that is brought to you by Miley Cyrus. It is called the Hoedown Throwdown, and it is shamefully catchy to those older than say 15. I was introduced to this by a friend and found myself embarrassed to admit I enjoyed watching her do her thing. While I am skeptic this will be as big a staple as dances like the Electric Slide have become, it is still interesting to compare it to early dances and get a feel of how things have changed over the years.

There is one dance I have failed to mention due to uncertainty as to where to place it in my timeline. Cotton-Eyed Joe has had an evolution of its own over the years. The song can date back as early as the 1800s, however the dance found a surge of popularity during the western craze that followed the release of Urban Cowboy in 1980. There was another such lift when the song was recorded by Rednex, a Swedish band. This is the most common version heard today at dances and parties. There are many different dances to go with the song. The Evolution of Dance video presents one version while I have linked to another as well. There are several other versions that seem to vary depending on what part of the country you are from. I knew someone from Texas who did it differently than another from PA and yet another from New Jersey. It's all a matter of preference I suppose.

There are too many dances (and variations thereof) to name them all here. This has been but a small introduction to the wide world of dance. If I missed any of your favorites, feel free to comment and tell me so. Maybe I'll do a second post if enough people show interest. Until next time, happy dancing.