Dance crazes we got swept away by, here's some Saturday night nostalgia.

For most of us, whether musically inclined or otherwise, a certain song has the ability to transport you back to a moment in time. Whether we realise it not, our lives have a soundtrack of all the music you’ve heard or loved throughout. From the lullabies your mother sang to you as a baby, to the funeral march, and everything in between. 

What is more fun are the dances that come with the music! Over our lifetimes, there have been numerous dance crazes that took over our Friday and Saturday nights. 

Do you remember these?

The Charleston

1925 https://youtu.be/P96axzkWnNY  - Well, maybe not this one, but interestingly the steps used can be seen in later dances!

The Jitterbug

The Jitterbug was popular swing style dance from as early as the 1930s. Reminisce with this Jerry Lewis version!

https://youtu.be/CowekQq6kY8

Rock’n’roll

Dancing was a true art form back in the 40's and ’50s – although I'm sure the parents of the 'young’uns' out dancing like this didn’t think so at the time!

1940 The lindy hop to glen millers in the mood https://youtu.be/e62p_K4-Cvc  - Modern film but the music is fantastic.

https://youtu.be/Rf55gHK48VQ  Rock and roll of the day

https://youtu.be/AMFO8BSZN6A A Rock and Roll competition from London in 1961

Limbo Rock

The backbreaking dance that we all think we can win – or at least we did a few years ago!

https://youtu.be/DARZV1Cpq9I

La Bamba

Oh, just try to keep your legs still when this one comes on! from 1958

https://youtu.be/WCXlp3D5NQA

The Twist 

And this one is impossible not to get up and move to. How many of you practiced the twist in the kitchen? I know I did!

https://youtu.be/6uu7FKAVVeQ  

The Mashed Potato

This is a bit slower, but you’ll no doubt remember grooving in 1962 to the Mashed Potato. 

https://youtu.be/51eJ3-h86JQ

The Loco-Motion

The kids don’t know it, but long before Kylie Minogue brought it back, we were getting down on the dance floor to Little Eva and the Loco-Motion back in 1962.

https://youtu.be/eKpVQm41f8Y  

The Time Warp

Taken from the from the Rocky Horror picture show a cult classic in 1975

https://youtu.be/O8hTJKfjyqY

Disco Dancing

Get up and dance, no one’s judging.  1977 anything went.

Saturday Night Fever https://youtu.be/LUID0jSh2Ic  

YMCA

Oh, Village People. This was 1978 and is still a popular track at parties today!

https://youtu.be/CS9OO0S5w2k

The Lambada

Taken from Dirty Dancing https://youtu.be/l9BbUqHrWFI the final song an absolute classic from the 80's

I hope you enjoy this as much as I had some fun putting together, of course I am sure there are many more!

Ann September 2019