The world is full of famous dances, but what’s the history behind these popular dances? The history of each dance is rich and fascinating, but the eras in which they were first popular also contribute to the dance’s popularity today. The ’50s introduced the S wing, a rhythmic style that required energy and speed to be successful. The ’80s brought the moonwalk and hustling to disco clubs, and many of these dances have been adapted into a new genre.
The most popular dances of the 1930s were the Hully Gully, the Charleston and the moonwalk. The latter were created by Cab Calloway, which explains the name. The Hustle, also known as the ‘Moonwalk,’ was another disco dance that became popular during the ’60s. The moonwalk has a long history of being popular in Harlem, and the Cotton Club is where it was first performed.
In the 1960s, a popular disco dance became popular. The Hully Gully is a line dance, and uses a quarter turn before each repetition. Although the Hully Gully has not endured in the United States, it is widely performed in France and Italy. A slightly different version of the Hully is known as La Danse Madison. The Madison is an upbeat dance, and a tango is more a mellow form.
