# What was that acrobatic style of 50s dancing called? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 15, 2010, 4:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-that-acrobatic-style-of-50s-dancing-called/539511 "2010-05-15T04:11:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Palo\_Verde](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/65b543/32.png) [@Palo\_Verde](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Palo_Verde)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2010, 4:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-that-acrobatic-style-of-50s-dancing-called/539511/1 "2010-05-15T04:11:52Z")
You know that style of early rock 'n roll dancing, like to ‘Rock around the Clock’ where the guy lifts the girl up in the air, then between his legs and side to side. Does that style have a name? Are there good videos of it? ---
**Author:** ![Grey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b782af/32.png) [@Grey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grey)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2010, 4:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-that-acrobatic-style-of-50s-dancing-called/539511/2 "2010-05-15T04:20:25Z")
Do you mean [swing dance?](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swing_dance) ---
**Author:** ![Balance](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ccd318/32.png) [@Balance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balance)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2010, 4:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-that-acrobatic-style-of-50s-dancing-called/539511/3 "2010-05-15T04:23:14Z")
I think you’re talking about jitterbug. Check this video to see if it’s the style you mean: [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HI2LsV-t7qU](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HI2LsV-t7qU) (It’s a jitterbug demonstration to Rock Around the Clock. The actual dancing starts at about 1:30.) Jitterbug would be considered an example of swing dancing, I believe. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2010, 4:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-that-acrobatic-style-of-50s-dancing-called/539511/4 "2010-05-15T04:48:08Z")
Jitterbug. My father was a champion jitterbug dancer back in the 30s. There was a jitterbug number in \*The Wizard of Oz, \*but they decided that future viewers wouldn’t get it, so it was cut from the movie. ---
**Author:** ![Palo\_Verde](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/65b543/32.png) [@Palo\_Verde](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Palo_Verde)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2010, 4:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-that-acrobatic-style-of-50s-dancing-called/539511/5 "2010-05-15T04:52:43Z")
Jitterbug. That’s it. Thanks for helping me. Now, I’ve been looking on Youtube to try to find a really good example of it, with lots of acrobatics and preferably poodle skirts. I haven’t had any luck. Anyone else have better Google-fu? ---
**Author:** ![Balance](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ccd318/32.png) [@Balance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balance)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2010, 5:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-that-acrobatic-style-of-50s-dancing-called/539511/6 "2010-05-15T05:59:19Z")
Not so much on the poodle skirts, but a pretty flashy Lindy Hop contest: [http://www.youtube.com/user/lindyhop411#p/a/u/2/myJj0mNNe1Y](http://www.youtube.com/user/lindyhop411#p/a/u/2/myJj0mNNe1Y) ---
**Author:** ![Brown\_Eyed\_Girl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/brown_eyed_girl/32/3574_2.png) [@Brown\_Eyed\_Girl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brown_Eyed_Girl)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2010, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-that-acrobatic-style-of-50s-dancing-called/539511/7 "2010-05-15T16:24:20Z")
> [@Balance](#): > > Not so much on the poodle skirts, but a pretty flashy Lindy Hop contest: [http://www.youtube.com/user/lindyhop411#p/a/u/2/myJj0mNNe1Y](http://www.youtube.com/user/lindyhop411#p/a/u/2/myJj0mNNe1Y) That looks like fun! Wow, they were good. This is [the video](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mTg5V2oA_hY) I’ve seen of Lindy Hoppers in the 40s. Were they still Hoppin’ in the 50s? ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2010, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-that-acrobatic-style-of-50s-dancing-called/539511/8 "2010-05-15T16:32:06Z")
> [@panache45](#): > > Jitterbug. My father was a champion jitterbug dancer back in the 30s. > > There was a jitterbug number in \*The Wizard of Oz, \*but they decided that future viewers wouldn’t get it, so it was cut from the movie. shame, really. Best song in the show. ---
**Author:** ![Palo\_Verde](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/65b543/32.png) [@Palo\_Verde](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Palo_Verde)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2010, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-that-acrobatic-style-of-50s-dancing-called/539511/9 "2010-05-15T21:06:09Z")
> [@Brown\_Eyed\_Girl](#): > > That looks like fun! Wow, they were good. This is [the video](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mTg5V2oA_hY) I’ve seen of Lindy Hoppers in the 40s. > > Were they still Hoppin’ in the 50s? Perfect! Thanks!