It is said that the Bunny Hug originated in San Francisco at the "Fairmont Hotel" in 1911 along with the Texas Tommy, Turkey Trot and Grizzly Bear. Dr. Adams, who wrote 'The Social Dance' book states: 'The Bunny Hug is danced in imitation of the sex relations between male and female rabbits.' However, his book was pretty much "Antidance". The dance was a pretty steamy grinding, shaking and wiggling dance for the day and was usually danced to real slow blues. The Bunny Hug caused alot of uproar in polite society which created alot of press coverage for these type of dances.

     Noble Sissle has been quoted as saying that W.C. Handy's "Memphis Blues " song inspired Vernon Castle to create the dance when he heard James Reese Europe play the Memphis blues and Castle liked the rhythm. Sissle went on to say that Castle later renamed the Bunny Hug the Fox-trot. (This is highly unlikely, see fox-trot!)

     1938 - Stage magazine, repeated an earlier statement:
"We hear the Two-step and an outrageously indecent display called the Bunny Hug are gaining favor with the younger element. Let them watch their steps,

these young sensationalists. The time will come when they will tire of this eternal jogging and jerking, and find more surcease in the grace and restful beauty of the Valse".

    On March 27th, 1913 Mr. Ed Spence of Grants Pass, Oreagon was knifed 11 times while trying to enforce a rule at his club 'Holland' that no animal dances allowed, He caught a couple doing the Bunny Hug and had an arguement over it. (...Hugh Wetshoe)

    In 1914, Germany introduced a dance entitled "The Rabbit Dance " which was said to be just like the American Bunny Hug.

Films

Television

Ballets / Stage

1913 - Bunny & the Bunny Hug

Fabulous Dorseys

Newspaper and Magazine Publications

9-15-1915 - Washington Post (Bunny Hug Bannished)

8/1938 - Stage Magazine

Other Related Dances of the time...

Aeroplane Waltz

Cartel Waltz

Hesitation Waltz

March (Marches)

Shimmy

Apache Dance

Castle Walk

Hippohop

Maurice Tango

Shiver Shake

Argentine Ardor

Charleston

Honey Bug

Maxixe

Skirt Dance

Arizona Anguish

Chicken Flip

Hooche Cooche

Mooch and Sugar

Slow Drag

Bacchanalian waltz

Collegiate

Horsetrot

Necktie Waltz

Syncopated Canter

Baltimore Buzz

Collegiate Fox-trot

Hug-Me-Tight

One Step

Tango

Bambuca

Collegiate Shag

Innovation

Ostrich Stretch

Terripan Toddle

Black Bottom

Dewey Dip

Jazzarimba

Pavlova Gavotte

Texas Tommy

Boll Weevil Wiggle

Dizzy Drag

Peabody

Toddle

Boston Dip

Fado Fox-trot

Kangaroo Canter

Pickaninny Dandle

Turkey Trot

Break away

Fox-trot

Kangaroo Waltz

Pollywog Wiggle

Two-step

Bunny Hug

Fuzzy-Wuzzy

Kitchen Sink

Puppy Snuggle

Varsity Drag

Buzzard Lope

Gaby Glide

Lambeth Walk

Quickstep

Walkin' The Dog

Cabbage Clutch

Gilda Glide

Lame Duck

Rabbit Dance, the

Waltz

Camel Walk

Grizzly Bear

Lemon Squeeze

Salome dance

Whirlwind Waltz

Cantor Waltz

Grizzly Glide

Love Dance

Shadow Dance

Wiggle-de-Wiggle

LuLu Fado

Dancers, Choreographers etc.

Political

Ed Spence (1913 - Knife Wounds)

La Guardia

Books, Magazine Articles on the dance...

Title

Author

Date Published

Publisher

Balli di ieri e balli d'oggi

Gavina, P.

1922

-

The Social Dance

Adams, Dr. R.A.

1921

Revels Acorn

The Wonderful World of Dance

Haskell, Arnold

1960

Rathbone Books

From Cakewalks to Concert Halls (Good Book!)

Morgan, Thomas

1992

Elliott & Clark

Musicians

Bands

Singers

Poets / Writers

Dorseys, the

Harry Von Tilzer

W.C Handy

Misc. Research Words that may be related ... to help your searches

Animal Dances

Flappers

Collegiates

Sexual Dances

Other...

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