Aug 122010
What’s the best dance in rock? Not best dancer, mind you, but the best dance that almost anyone can do, or at least wish to do? Here Debbie Harry demonstrates the pogo. I can’t say that all do it even half as well as she does it, but if more of us could I’d consider putting the pogo at the top of my list.
I’m partial to “The Ringo” as exemplified in Hard Day’s Night.
the spaz as done by Ian Curtis, Peter Murphy, and Iggy.
I’m partial to “The Twist” because it’s one cool dance anyone can do, myself included.
I’ve seen Mockcarr in party mode, after a few libations. That man can indeed fully rock the Ringo!
I’d say virtually any of the “named” dances from the 60s kick ass. Let me think on this — so many to choose from!
A partial list! Which of these sounds like a dance you’d most LIKE to see?
Alligator
Bunny Hop
Finger Poppin’
Locomotion
Shag
Bend It
Bus Stop
Fly
Madison
Shampoo
Big Bea (Frug)
Calypso
Freddie
Mashed Potato
Shoulder Shake
Bird
Cavern Stomp
Frug
Monkey Bird
Slop
Block
Chalypso
Funky Chicken
Monkey Shine
Stroll
Boogaloo
Ching-A-Ling
Harlem Shuffle
Monkey Stroll
Surf (Frug)
Bop
Clam
Hitchhike
Monkey Walk
Surfer Stomp
Bossa Nova
Clapping Dance
Hucklebuck
Mule
Swim
Boston Monkey
Continental Walk
Hully-Gully
Philly Walk
Thunderbird (Frug)
Bristol Hop
Dog
Jerk
Pony
Twist
Bristol Stomp
Duck
Krunch
Rebel Walk
Ubangi Stomp
Bug
Elephant Walk
Limbo Rock (Limbo)
Shadow Walk
Watusi
Bump
Here’s a site with — once you get past the fluff at the top of the page — some excellent pictorial instruction:
http://www.sixtiescity.com/Culture/dance.shtm
Meanwhile, I’m nearing my final choice…
My favorite is whatever is going on here:
https://www.rocktownhall.com/blogs/index.php/mach-schau-lee-dorsey#comments
It’s official! My fave dance move is…
THE MONKEY!
See Mike Love perform an excellent Monkey here, at mile marker 0:56:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MDIBMaCTwFw
I wasn’t aware that there was a dance that went along with Finger Poppin’ Time, but the song itself has a somewhat legendary status to me.
My old man has told me a story multiple times about how a buddy of his got drunk and tried to climb the fence around the playground across the street from the bar they hung out at in South Philly, only to tear about half his finger off in the process. Once he got out of the hospital and back to the bar, they had Finger Poppin’ Time ready to play on the jukebox there.
I presume his 9.5 fingers (which I did see, to verify the story) prevented him from doing the Finger Poppin’ in response to their musical tribute. He probably settled for a one or two-fingered variation.
From the site HVB linked, does anyone have any details on The Philly or on The Philly Dog, The Philly Freeze, The Philly Horse, The Philly Jerk or The Philly Walk? I’d be interested to see what differentiated them from the standard versions of the dances.
Thanks for the list, HVB, that really narrows it down. I saw Chubby Checker a few weeks ago at Phila City Hall (http://www.philly.com/philly/hp/news_update/98157759.html) and he did a medley of dance craze songs (Bus Stop, Mashed Potato, Hucklebuck, Fly, Pony and probably more) leading up to The Twist / Let’s Twist Again. Nobody twists it like the Chubber.
There are two rules for dances that, by the 80’s, might have become mutually exclusive. Girls need to look sexy doin’ it and guys need to look dorky enough to make fun of.
For the females, anything Madonna http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y_vKOvPl6sk&feature=channel Still hot.
And, for straight guys at least, we have what we used to call the Oscillate Wildly. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gXLJElH_OR4 (Dance @ 0:22 for those of you who can’t watch this kind of thing).
I’m a big fan of The Madison. It makes an appearance in 2 movies that I’m aware of (which couldn’t be more different): Goddard’s “Band A Part,” and Water’s “Hairspray.”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I6pOXjQLh7Y
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5MiMrtI3aQ4
Can I just say that I SOOOOO want to see a video of one of you gents emulating the man in white in this video?:
This is a great song and the video makes me laugh every time. The Bee’s “Chicken Payback.”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sN48kxZut98&feature=related
I would also finance some libations for anyone who attempts the Tighten Up:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dIdug40ZM-M&feature=related
For those of you of a certain age, remember The Hustle? All those seventh and eighth grade dances?
This is the weirdest post of it I could find. How would our world be a different place if prisoners were expected to complete line dances as part of their penance?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u-FhczpCZ84&feature=related
Great clip. Just for the record, I’d watch ’77 era Deborah Harry doing anything: cleaning, paying bills, breathing, etc. Simply put, there was no hotter woman alive at that time.
Post more early Blondie clips.
Sincerely,
E. Pluribus
Well said, plurby. Plastic Letters is one of my favorite album covers of all-time for that very reason, though it’s my least favorite of their 1st 4 albums.
Oh man! Debby Harry on a pogo stick! Money shot.
EP- Not sure any Debby Harry visual can top the one you posted in 2007.
Ideal duration to boot!