Dance wasn't always what we know it to be today. Actually, dance was very different 100 years ago, and today, you will learn all about the evolution of dance!
The dance of the 1920's was Swing Dancing. When people were Swing Dancing, they were usually at a party and would be laughing and talking with friends while dancing. This dance is very social and was performed to Big Band music.
The dance most used in the 1930's was the Moonwalk. If you think this move was invented by Michael Jackson, think again! It was created by Cab Calloway, a famous jazz dancer. At that time, the Moonwalk was called "The Buzz."
In the 1940's, the Mambo and East Coast Swing was THE dance to do. Actually, there were many danced popular in the '40s, since this decade was full of fun and positive energy. One way to forget about the stress from the Great Depression (which had just ended) and World War ll, people danced!
During the 1950's, people enjoyed the Hand Jive and Cha Cha. The Hand Jive was a dance made up of quick hand movements. This dance was taken from other jive dances from the past. The Cha Cha was the Mambo and Rumba combined.
Throughout the 1960's, many liked Popping, Locking, and doing the Robot. Popping is one of the first forms of funk dancing, while locking is more similar to what we now know to be hip-hop. These two dances were both the early stages of hip-hop and animation. The Robot, which we all know and love, is, well, pretty self-explanatory.
As the 1970's took place, people enjoyed the Disco, Chicago Stepping, and Salsa. This decade was all about moving freely and having fun with dance. Many movies and TV shows had dancing scenes with new moves people had never seen before, including the Disco, which made people love this style, and many others.
The dance of the 1980's was focused on Rock and Roll and Voguing. Voguing is where two dancers battle against each other. Many dance moves were back-and-forth movements done when listening to EDM music.
During the 1990's, people used to dance to lose weight. Created by Alberto "Berto" Perez, Zumba became a hit. Not only was it fun and energetic, but also helped people to exercise while being happy. This dance helped to continue hip-hop moves popular today.
When the 2000's took place, people were into Krumping and Electro Dance. Krumping moves are very similar to animation. Electro Dance is a combination of Voguing moves and even Disco. These two dance styles personalized the 2000's
Nowadays, there isn't just one or two types of dances. Instead of everyone doing the same thing, people like to choose their own style, whether it is hip-hop, contemporary, ballet, jazz, or more.
As you can see, dancing has really changed throughout the past 100 years and has really shaped our country to fall more in love with dance. (:
