Many of today’s most popular dances have their origins in the past. Hollywood movies influenced many of these styles, and people practiced new dances to music and radio broadcasts. Dancing was an integral part of entertainment and parties, and schools taught dance to young children. Churches also utilized dancing as an effective way to attract young people. The Tango and the Foxtrot were two early popular styles of dance. Henry Ford even heavily promoted the square dance.
Another hippie dance began during the 60s. During the era of the Grateful Dead, legions of fans performed the hippie spin. Hippies fueled by psychedelic drugs would twirl in slow, tornado-like motions, flailing their arms and writhing. While these dances are still popular today, they had their roots in the ’60s. In the 1980s, they were popular in the United States.
The backward slide was invented by an African American performer, Bill Bailey, in the 1950s. Later, it became one of the most popular dances, and the moonwalk is the most famous version today. It is considered to be the best example of Latin dancing, owing to its sensuous form, energetic movement, and innovative choreography. There are many variations of this dance, so it is important to learn the basics before taking up the move.
Tango: Another of the world’s most famous dances is the tango, which has roots in pre-American and old-world cultures. It came to prominence as a solo dance in the 1800s. It was later introduced to New York City, where it became a bona fide craze. After a decade of popularizing the dance in the US, it quickly spread throughout the world. The movie Saturday Night Fever helped re-ignite its popularity.
