The year 1939, which saw the outbreak of what newspapers were quick to describe as the 'Second World War,' also witnessed a decided advance in the second 'dance craze.' This dance craze had its beginning in the vogue for swing music, and in 1937 manifested itself in such 'jitterbug' dances as the Big Apple, Peelin' the Peach, the Shag, Truckin', Peckin', and the Susy-Q — all distinguished by frenzied movements. Its parallel and predecessor was the great dance craze that flourished between 1912 and 1915, the period of the Turkey Trot, the Bunny Hug and Grizzly Bear as well as of the Castle Walk, the Hesitation Waltz and the Maxixe.
There is a striking similarity between the two periods, a similarity which has not escaped the attention of newspaper editors. Then, as now, war clouds hung black and ominous in the sky and the tension among people was at its peak. Escape valve for this tension was, and again in 1939 proved to be, dancing. Substitute 'jitterbug' (colloquial term applied to enthusiasts of the new swing music) for 'jazz' dancing and the Shag for any of the dances of animal nomenclature and the parallel is unmistakable.
Among the younger element in the middle class economic group, the jitterbug type of dancing was even more widespread in popularity during 1939. Although the Big Apple and the various steps that comprised this group dance were no longer being danced — indicating the transitory quality of the dances — a host of variations took their place. However, no one 'name' dance made its appearance during the year. The jitterbug dances, on the contrary, showed a decided tendency to discard the standardized routines in favor of steps created individually, on or away from the dance floor. These improvisations led to strenuous and intricate steps which more often than not had to be practiced in advance. Other manifestations of the second dance craze were to be seen in the open air dance jamborees staged at the World's Fair where popular dance orchestras attracted thousands of dancers daily; in the tremendous crowd which turned out to view the Harvest Moon Ball contest in Madison Square Garden sponsored by the New York Daily News; and in the greatly increased enrollment in dancing schools reported by dance masters throughout the country.
Among less phrenetic dancers, the fox trot and the waltz remained the most widely performed steps. Even here, however, the tendency to relieve frayed nerves with new and different dances was noticeable. The reception given the Lambeth Walk, imported from London in the summer of 1938 and widely popular until the early part of 1939, called for a successor, and this was found in the Chestnut Tree, a 'game dance' based upon the well-known English nursery rhyme and acted out to the rhythm of a tune of the same title. By mid-year, this dance had run its course and still another English importation was launched. This was the Boomps-a-Daisy, the third English importation which, unlike its predecessors, was danced to waltz tempo. The dance closely followed and called for movements described in the lyric of the music written for it.
The Boomps-a-Daisy was still struggling to gain a national foothold by the end of the year. It is interesting to note that these three imported dances each depended upon a single musical composition for execution. The decline in popularity of the song, therefore, doomed the popularity of the dance which depended upon it for existence.
Especially in more sophisticated circles in large cities throughout the country, the rumba increased in favor. This is a refined version of the Cuban danzon. An exciting dance step, it is based on the rumba rhythm: one, two, three, pause; one, two, three pause; and, since the knees are actively employed, the dancers face each other about six inches apart.
The present vogue for the rumba is matched by la conga, a dance of Cuban origin. La conga, little heard of heretofore, sprang into wide prominence co-incident with the opening of the fall social season. Not unlike the rumba and similar dances requiring skill acquired through instruction from an expert, la conga had hitherto been confined to small groups of people. The sharply increased demand for instruction indicates that it has definitely 'arrived' and probably will grow even greater in public favor during 1940. In the conga, dancers form a chain, couples filing behind each other with one arm forward and hand resting on the shoulder of person in front. Members of the chain follow the leader of the line and duplicate whatever steps he does, the rhythm being one, two, three, kick.
A well-defined tendency noted during the fall of 1939 was a revival of group participation dances, harking back to the square dances and the Virginia reel for their spirit of gaiety and merriment. Here again can be traced the desire of men and women to seek relief from mental nervous tension brought about by reading and listening to a constant stream of war bulletins. Square dances were being performed in hotel ballrooms, and European folk dances were also making their appearance on dance floors. Most popular appeared to be the polka, a vivacious hopping dance of Bohemian origin.
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