Charleston Dance free essay sample

The period of the 1920s has a complex social and cultural history. From this history, derived the popularity of the upbeat Charleston Dance. Most people will associate this dance with the flappers and the speakeasy, despite its origins, because many young women used it as a way to mock the people who supported the Prohibition. As a result, the Charleston was considered to be a provocative and immoral dance during its time. In this paper, I want to briefly explore the dance’s history, its characteristics, how it reached popularity, how the social implications of the time affected the dance, and ultimately how the Charleston defined women and helped them change the social normative. The actual origins of the Charleston are long and obscure. First off, the Branle of 1520 is said to be quite similar to the Charleston. It is a French Renaissance dance that was generally performed outside. It is described to have a â€Å"winging step and anterior kick and swing, the lifting of the leg, the twisting of the feet and the side fling of the foot† (Watson). These movements are close to the characteristics of the Charleston. On the other hand, for an African American influential approach, many dance historians hold the Ash-Ante peoples of Africa as the originators. The walking movements, combined with the feet pointing in and out, are characteristics used in the Charleston (Asheante). Yet, it is further said that the series of steps have originated from the African Americans living on a small island off the coast of Charleston, South Carolina, while others say its from the Cape Verde Islands in western Africa. As a result, leading to the obscurity of the dances origins. (Watson) The characteristic Charleston beat incorporates the clave rhythm that is synonymous with the habanera and the Spanish tinge, and can be danced solo, with a partner, or in a group (Watson). It contains a simple, flexible base step that makes it easy to concentrate on styling, improvisation, and musicality. In whichever style, either solo or partner, the basic movement resembles the natural movement of walking, although it is performed in place. Meanwhile, the arms swing forward and backward, with the right arm coming forward as the left leg steps forward and then moving back as the opposite arm/leg begins its forward movement. The toes are not pointed, but the feet form a right angle with the lead at the ankle, and the arms are frequently bent at the elbow and the hands form a right angle for the wrist. Furthermore, the Charleston incorporates a bounce in its steps, which goes along with the beat in the music (Charleston Dance). The characteristics of the feet, arm, wrist, and ankle angles are synonymous with African dances, and thus why the Charleston is thought to have originated from them. (Watson) In partner Charleston, couples stand facing each other in the traditional European closed position. The leader’s, normally the male, left hand is place on the follower’s, normally the female, back between their shoulder blades. The follower’s left hand then rests on the leader’s shoulder or biceps. The leader’s left hand and the follower’s right hand are clasped palm-to-palm, and held at shoulder height or higher. For the basic step, the leader touches his left foot behind them, without shifting weight while the follower mirrors the motion by touching their right foot in front, without shifting weight. Next, both partners bring their feet back to a standing position and shit their weight onto the foot they have just moved, the left for the leader and the right for the follower. Then, the leader touches their right foot in front of themselves, while the follower touches their left foot back. Finally, both feet are brought back to the standing position. (Charleston dance) Lastly, in group Charleston, the dance is the most improvised. Often, it would be arranged in a loose circle on the dance floor in two long lines of facing dancers. Sometimes, a person will call out a designated step, or the individual dancers may choose to dance solo, and improvise in response to the music or other dancers around them. Despite the variances in ways of dancing the Charleston, one thing remained the same; it was a high-energy, high tempo dance. (Charleston dance) The Charleston was first performed as early as 1903 in the Southern States of the United States of America (Watson). As time went by, the steps were more gradually used and finally made its way onto the Harlem stage productions by 1913. In 1921, it was featured on a show called â€Å"Shuffle Along† and referred to as the â€Å"fasted dancers ever seen†(Watson). By 1922, the Charleston was introduced to the theater world in New York when the â€Å"Ziegfeld Follies† staged a dance act that incorporated the Charleston, which was choreographed by Ned Wayburn. Finally, the dance hit Broadway in the show â€Å"Runnin’ Wild† and hit its highest acclaim. At the height of its popularity, the dance changed things not only in the dance community, but also in the social lives of the people it encompassed. (Watson) In order to determine the relationship between the Charleston and society, information about the time period needs to be known. It was the interlude between the Great War and the Great Depression, a decade full of dissipation, jazz bands, bathtub gin, flappers, and dancers. World War One had shattered Americans’ faith in reform and moral crusade, and the younger generation proceeded to rebel against the traditional taboos, while the elders engaged in speculation. (Koritz). As a result, the 1920’s were a time of conservation and social change in fashion and politics. On January 16th, 1920, the United States went dry: breweries, distilleries, and saloons were forced to close their doors. It was the Prohibition (Giordano). It was believed that the prohibition would alleviate social problems, reduce crime and poverty, and boost the economy. However, many people disliked it and imbibed in unlawful nightclubs and speakeasies. In order to get into a speakeasy, one had to whisper a code word or name through a slot in a locked door to gain admittance, and thus spread disrespect for the law with illegal alcoholic activities. From such speakeasies grew out parties and dances with the hottest bands, and of course the flappers (Giordano). Flappers were women during the 1920s that changed the social normative. They stripped off the corsets and pantaloons and traded in for looser clothes to be able to move freely. They raised the hem of the skirts to just below the knee; something unheard of before this time. They are characterized as having short haircuts and wearing makeup, when makeup was previously associated with loose women (Rosenburg). Flappers lived the fast life and dared to smoke cigarettes, drink cocktails, and partake in sexual behavior. They wanted to be different from their parents and announce their departure from the older morals, thus shocking the older generation. They had a scandalous image as the â€Å"giddy flapper, rouged and clipped, careening in a drunken stupor to the lewd strains of a jazz quartet† (Johnson). Flapper culture wanted it all. The 1920’s came after one of the biggest wars in history, World War One, were everyone had lost their innocence. Women were discovering what life truly was like, and the flappers threw off the shackles of the Victorian society’s prudery and modesty, and opened the eyes of young women and the mouths of young men. For example, Louise Brooks, a famous flapper, was also an amazing dancer that had an appetite for alcohol, fashion, and sex. She was beautiful, smart, sexy, and â€Å"didn’t seem to give a damn what people thought of her† (Boland). She would do whatever she wanted, when she wanted, and with whom she wanted: An ultimate flapper. As a result, the Charleston dance quickly became a favorite for flappers. It was considered wild, and easily fit the fast-paced life-style. It allowed the flappers to show off their sexuality by shimmying, and flaunting sexuality. It also allowed them to rebel against old laws including the prohibition. Additionally, it broke down old social barriers. Rich people, ordinary folks, men, and women all danced together and chatted about their days through the dance. They shared a goal of having fun and getting the best illegal liquor around. Additionally, because of the Charleston and its appeal to flappers, sex lost its taboo nature. (Johnson) These social changes led to women achieving the right to vote, as well as becoming a larger part of the workforce. Before the 1920’s, women worked in domestic service, agricultural labor, and clothing trades. During the 1920’s, women held low-level clerical jobs in offices, but most importantly held jobs outside of the home. Women could now have work and marriage. (Johnson) In conclusions, the Charleston dance was more than just a social dance for people to gather with. For each individual the dance symbolized something. For everyone, the Charleston was a way to mock authority and rebel against the law. It harbored the rebellious nature and fast-paced lives of the younger generation.