History Of Disco Dance

Disco dance is a hugely popular dance genre that involves a combination of many other dance forms, to which it also owes its origin. While the popularity of disco dance touched its zenith during the middle to late 1970s, when it was in the early stages of development, it is no less than a rage even in the modern times. The modern disco moves are choreographed to complement footwork with hip and toe rhythms of the Lindy Hop, Balboa, Jive, Rock and Roll, Hip-Hop, Jitterbug and Collegiate Shag. This bold dance, which is laced with punk and attitude, has a very interesting and fascinating history attached to it. Read on to know how it originated.  

Interesting & Amazing Information On Origin & Background Of Disco Dance 

The roots of disco dance can be traced back to the 1970s and credited to a trend that originated in Philadelphia, resulting in the birth of club culture that soon became extremely popular. The popularity of this trend can be attributed to the African American and Hispanic communities across the United States of America. Disco, in the beginning, was characterized by a heavily sequined and pompous apparel and flickering multi-colored lights. The first disco music record called 'Soul Makossa'was released in 1972, by Manu Dibango. Dancing greats like Bee Gees, Donna Summers and Michael Jackson grasped the imagination of people with their unique dance form that was performed on Disco songs.

 

Even as disco music was evolving under the influence of Rock, Soul, Blues, and Funk music, the dance form also developed beautifully. Very soon, the ‘Hustle’ (a common name for number of individual moves) came to the fore. It was a partner dance and involved elaborate movements with the hands, along with sleek twists and turns. However, most of the disco dance movements were inspired from older dances, such as the Mambo and the Salsa. Even the Hustle dance bore striking similarity to the Swing of the 1950s-1960s. The early 70s saw ‘dancing in a line’ gaining momentum in Florida. It was a combination of the foot rhythm of Salsa and the hip sways of the Swing dance form.

 

Line dance led to a fanatic craze for disco in 1975. Dance moves, choreographed by David Todd to promote 'Disco Baby,' became a rage in discotheques across New York City's East Side, followed by the rest of the world. This song took the Hustle dance form to the next level and paved the way for the introduction of jerky, back and forth movements of the 'Continental Walk'. These bold dance moves were accompanied by suggestive jumps, forward and backward, and elaborate clicking of the heels. The ‘Bus Stop’ was another crazed line-dance, which involved rotational sequences of the hips that helped to vary direction and partner orientation. Up next, a freestyle dance genre, 'Electric Slide' was introduced, which is immensely popular even today. Modern Disco dance includes combined movements of the Charleston, Foxtrot, Hustle and Swing.