# What dances were these? Older members help. (1962 home movie): **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 2, 2017, 4:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-dances-were-these-older-members-help-1962-home-movie/785695 "2017-05-02T04:36:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Reddy\_Mercury](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/43a26b/32.png) [@Reddy\_Mercury](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reddy_Mercury)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2017, 4:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-dances-were-these-older-members-help-1962-home-movie/785695/1 "2017-05-02T04:36:16Z")
[![]( " - YouTube") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6oR9g3MYfnw) The little girl is my mother. She made her first communion in May 1962, and this video is the party of her communion. The man is my great uncle. I’m curious as to what dances are being danced; it might give some clue as to what sort of music was playing. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2017, 1:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-dances-were-these-older-members-help-1962-home-movie/785695/2 "2017-05-02T13:16:15Z")
When the little girl is dancing alone (twice), she’s trying to do The Twist. The one with the darker haired lady looks soooooo familiar, but I just can’t pin the name down. ---
**Author:** ![StGermain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stgermain/32/2868_2.png) [@StGermain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StGermain)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2017, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-dances-were-these-older-members-help-1962-home-movie/785695/3 "2017-05-02T13:36:18Z")
I don’t know, but that whole video is very sweet. I made my First Communion in1968, but I don’t really have any photographic proof. 5th kid - my parents were sort of over pics by then. StG ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2017, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-dances-were-these-older-members-help-1962-home-movie/785695/4 "2017-05-02T13:42:56Z")
I forgot to do the math!! I made my First Communion in 1963, so pretty close to the time of the video in the OP. I remember the white shoes and white suit us guys all had to wear. And doing the First Confession beforehand. Our nun teacher told us not to worry about remembering all our sins, just going back to when we were ~ 4 years old. Sure, sister. Sure! ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2017, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-dances-were-these-older-members-help-1962-home-movie/785695/5 "2017-05-02T15:34:47Z")
It is strange to me how all home movies from the early 1960s look alike. ---
**Author:** ![mixdenny](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mixdenny/32/2962_2.png) [@mixdenny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mixdenny)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2017, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-dances-were-these-older-members-help-1962-home-movie/785695/6 "2017-05-02T17:46:15Z")
The first part is just a waltz position but only going back and forth to make it easy. The lady with all the arm motions is maybe doing the Hokey Pokey? And some twisting. Dennis ---
**Author:** ![Roderick\_Femm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/roderick_femm/32/14875_2.png) [@Roderick\_Femm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roderick_Femm)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2017, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-dances-were-these-older-members-help-1962-home-movie/785695/7 "2017-05-02T18:11:19Z")
I vaguely remember the arm motions of the dance that the woman in blue is doing, I want to say it was the Pony or the Frug, but neither of those seems quite right. That was my era but I have never been particularly nostalgia-bound to remember any of it. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2017, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-dances-were-these-older-members-help-1962-home-movie/785695/8 "2017-05-02T19:35:00Z")
> [@mixdenny](#): > > The lady with all the arm motions is maybe doing the Hokey Pokey? No, that’s not [The Hokey Pokey.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iZinb6rVozc&ab_channel=TheLearningStation-KidsSongsandNurseryRhymes) ---
**Author:** ![Reddy\_Mercury](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/43a26b/32.png) [@Reddy\_Mercury](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reddy_Mercury)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2017, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-dances-were-these-older-members-help-1962-home-movie/785695/9 "2017-05-02T20:05:41Z")
> [@Ike\_Witt](#): > > It is strange to me how all home movies from the early 1960s look alike. How so? ---
**Author:** ![stillownedbysetters](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/41988e/32.png) [@stillownedbysetters](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stillownedbysetters)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2017, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-dances-were-these-older-members-help-1962-home-movie/785695/10 "2017-05-02T21:12:38Z")
My first communion was in 1964, but the differences were slight. My grandmother even had the same window blinds and curtains! The girl in blue is doing part of the Swim, part of the Hitchhiker, and parts of something else I don’t recognize. It is definitely not the Pony. Not sure about the Frug, as I don’t remember that dance at all, except by name. ---
**Author:** ![Sandra\_Battye](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sandra_battye/32/552_2.png) [@Sandra\_Battye](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sandra_Battye)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2017, 5:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-dances-were-these-older-members-help-1962-home-movie/785695/11 "2017-05-03T05:44:06Z")
It looks to me like they briefly attempt the Bunny Hop at 1:29. But I’m probably wrong. ---
**Author:** ![Elemenopy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b5e925/32.png) [@Elemenopy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elemenopy)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2017, 5:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-dances-were-these-older-members-help-1962-home-movie/785695/12 "2017-05-03T05:50:12Z")
Cute movie! In the first 30 seconds or so, daughter and daddy (or whoever) are almost certainly attempting a foxtrot (would have gone well with Sinatra, Dean Martin type music). Possibly a tango, or even jitterbug, but my bet’s on a foxtrot. ---
**Author:** ![Reddy\_Mercury](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/43a26b/32.png) [@Reddy\_Mercury](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reddy_Mercury)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2017, 9:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-dances-were-these-older-members-help-1962-home-movie/785695/13 "2017-05-03T09:40:27Z")
[![]( " - YouTube") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8oV1bZG8n6A) Another home movie for any nostalgic interested parties. The man in blue, without glasses, is my late grandfather. I unfortunately never met him. He was a WWII veteran; he died 42 years ago. Sadly this is the only movie of him. ---
**Author:** ![StGermain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stgermain/32/2868_2.png) [@StGermain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StGermain)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2017, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-dances-were-these-older-members-help-1962-home-movie/785695/14 "2017-05-04T14:07:49Z")
What game were they playing with those golf clubs? StG