The Omaha guide., 1956-08-03
Here's How
The Be-Bop
Dance Goes
By Stan Grant

- - m0~ wv
BY Stan Grant
Some years ago l was asked
What is Be-bop Dance? / replied
-"Be-bop is thing that gets in
your spine-it makes you wriggle
just like you were drinking
wine"
Today the question has come UP
again, and my answer is just the
same with the addition that the
"wine of be-bop has become more
potent, and definitely acquired
high measure of refineness.
Be-bop dance on the whole is
composed Of such moves and
turns as APPLEJACK, JITTING,
JERSEY, SEAJAM, and other
rake-up moves. The latest addi-
ton is the one called "Yank /"
Doors cs the 'yank" are generally
referred to as 'yankers".
In starting to dance bop-style,
fellow "seets" or "dig cat or
body, places his left or right
hand around her body; as the
case maybe, and proceeds with
the other hand holding hers.
In this be-bop timing is most
important, and the best way to
get going is to do what is called
a "half-time" or jersey-like move,
by only moving the body and just
hopping to the jive or rythyma-
teal beats. One doing this action
which is called cooling" looks
like someone freezing.
Bop dancing as it is, consists Of
slides, turns, dips and movements
of the arms and head. The doer
usually keeps his feet firmly on
the floor, scarcely doing any
movements on the toes, ami is
always ready to "rake Or clown
whichever you call it.
"SEAJAM"-which was at oae
time very popular, is more Ike :.
frenzied ceremonial dance, where
the dancer works himself into
so much heat, that all he can do is
hep to the jive-placing one foot
behind the other, and hep in a
jersey-like fashion to a half-time
tempo. You may also do the
"seajam" by placing your feet in
a running position and using arm
movements with a slide, dip, and
hep to the beat.
"MOOCHING"-is another of
these artistic arrangements. 1t is
done by staying perfectly rigid,
and at timed intervals shuffling
the body forward with a half-time
jug.
"APPLEJACK-"me only used
to be very common, and is done
by dipping the fingers between
the legs Il repeat men only"O
and at the same time shuffling
sideways sending out and bring
ing in one foot and then repeat
ing this same performance on the
other foot, without slipping and
In unison to the beat.
"JITTING"-is really dancing
on your toes and doing mostly
outside moves at the times when
you release your partner, and at
the same time spinning with the
half-spin or the full spin-which-
ever you like best, and balancing
perfectly.
"YANING" is the most recent.
1t is a personification of timing
and coordination and is most
pleasing to witness. The dancers
get correct timing on a given
Bookkeeping one foot firmly
on the floor, raising the other in
a spasmodic jerk with noticeable
LIST to give full effect. The move
ment starts somewhere in the
feet and carries on into the upper
regions above the waist. AT the
same time, there are hand move
ments resembling anything from
near cuddle to a strong beckon
While this move is particularly
popular among Jamaicans all over
England, 1 do not recommend it,
as there has been cases of dislo-
cations-caused by the jerks that
are involved.
The pattern of be-bop dance is
classed by some people as scraps
OF nothing put together to form
something" BY me, it it listed
In both fashion and otherwise as
cultural art derived from mod
ern times, which have outmoded
the oid-time shindig and barn
dance or quadrill.
Be-bop is a style of progress
alapng the young at heart, and the
ages Of the participants are any
where rom seven to seventy.
It has conquered the hearts of
many Of the w2ltz fans and is
more like a degreeS art, which is
so pleasing to witness, # you but
stop to watch.