What are the Common Dances from the 1950s?
Donning poodle skirts with petticoats and saddle shoes, dancers in the 1950s swung out a variety of dances that went way beyond the “acceptable” waltzes and swing dances of the previous decades. Dances from the 1950s are largely immortalized because of the popular television show American Bandstand, hosted by Dick Clark, that aired in the early 1950s. Though the program showcased many famous performers, it was just as widely known for creating dance fads.
Donning poodle skirts with petticoats and saddle shoes, dancers in the 1950s swung out a variety of dances that went way beyond the “acceptable” waltzes and swing dances of the previous decades. Dances from the 1950s are largely immortalized because of the popular television show American Bandstand, hosted by Dick Clark, that aired in the early 1950s. Though the program showcased many famous performers, it was just as widely known for creating dance fads. One of the most popular dances from the 1950s was the Twist. This infamous dance was the inspiration of Chubby Checker’s original 1960s hit song, and it could regularly be seen on American Bandstand. Many of the most popular dances from the 1950s, such as the Jitterbug, the Cha-cha, and the Lindy Hop, were thought of as group dances rather than single couples’ dances. Perhaps of all the popular dances from the 1950s, single, couple, or group, the Stroll is the easiest to recognize.
