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 The Camel Walk was a ragtime animal dance, came originally from Vaudeville shows. The Camel Walk was mainly done by college students and "flappers" during the Jazz age in the 1910's and 20's with the public as a social dance. It was basically done with a Straight Up (Posture) but otherwise was walking 1920's fox-trot from start to end while dragging your steps slightly, done to slow music and in a zigzag direction or rotary direction. The Camel Walk drew alot of displeasure among many mainly because the Girls would rest their heads on the leaders shoulder while dancing which many frowned upon as vulgar dancing. Occasionally the dance was varied with Fox-Trot steps by those who disliked anything quite so extreme. |
Another version was done in the 1950's/60's:
see clip! The Camel Walk spin-offs of the 1910's became a popular retro dance to do at the time in the 1950's/60's, however these spin-off's were freestyle rather than couples. With such dances as the Camel Walk, Dance the Camel Walk, The Camel Walk Stroll etc ... It is said the the Horse dance was just another Camel Walk. The Camel Walk became the Stroll in the 1950's.
The two signature step's of the Camel Walk was the ronde or fan (rotary-walk rather than a gait or a transverse walk? of the leg, and the high slow lifting walking step forward. There is also the 'knee pop' or funky "Camel-Walk" variation with the leg hooking behind the other as seen in the above clip by Sammy. The Boogie Walks / Shorty George are also related to the Camel walk. |
Birth Place |
Creation Date |
Creator |
Dance Type |
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| USA |
1910's |
Vaudeville |
Ragtime / Animal |
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Posters, Lobby Cards etc. |
Sheet Music Covers |
Music Titles ... |
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1916 - Camel Walk (Jos M. Verges) |
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1919 - Camel Walk Blues (Ebon Gay) |
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1921 - Camel Walk (Ted Lewis) |
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1925 - Camel Walk (Chris Smith / Cecil Mack) |
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1925 - Camel Walk (Ted Lewis & His Band) |
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1926 - Camel Walk - Eleuterio Yribarren Red Hot Panamerican Jazz |
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1925 - Camel Walk (University Six) |
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1935 - The Camel Walk (Nichols, Smith-Brymn) |
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1937 - Camel Hop (Goodman) |
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1958 - Camel Walk Stroll (Mattice) |
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1959 - Pink Camel Walk (Four Daddy 'O's) |
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1961 - Camel Walk |
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1967 - The Camel Walk (James Brown) |
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1960's The Camel Walk (Bobby Rush) |
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Camel Walk (The Original Starfires) |
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Camel Walk (part 2) (The Saxons) |
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Camel Toe |
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1960s - Do The Camel Walk (Magic Sam) |
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Funky Camel Walk (Little George Jr.) |
Night Clubs |
Theatres |
Locations |
| Skinny's Shoeshine Parlor |
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Films / Videos |
Television |
Ballets / Stage |
| 1915 - Family Adopts a Camel, The |
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| 1960 - American Musical Theatre |
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| 1988 - Hairspray [DVD] |
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Dancers |
Political |
Publications |
| Al Minns |
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3/6/1921 - Kansas City Star (Alligator Glide Displaces Camel Walk) |
| Chicken Hicks ? |
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5/12/1921 - Syracuse Herald (Jury doesn't Like Camel Walk) |
| James Brown |
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12/8/1921 - Bridgeport Telegram (Camel Walk Horrifies Lady) |
| Josephine Baker |
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9/27/1922 - Syracuse Herald (Camel Walk, Tango) |
| Leon James |
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| Sammy Davis Jr. |
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Musicians / Bands |
Singers |
Poets / Writers |
| Benny Goodman |
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| Benny Gordon |
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| Bob Mattice |
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| Bobby Rush |
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| James Brown |
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| Johnnie And Jack |
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| Ted Lewis And His Band |
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| T.J. Fowler |
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| Woody Herman |
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Misc. Research Words that may be related ... to help your searches |
| Canter |
Glide |
Slide |
The Stroll |
| Collegiate |
Hassapiko |
Step |
Trot |
| Drag |
Hop |
Stomp |
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| Flappers |
March |
Stroll |
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| Gaite |
Saunter |
Strut |
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Other... |
Basic Steps:
- This step is done with a long tension on every step, as if a heavy weight was attached to each foot, and the direction is diagonally back and forth and yet advancing at the same time. First measure of music, One walking step forward with left foot, then the right foot.
Second measure:
- The left foot takes a long step. (The Camel Walk), dragging step to the right, the right foot then makes a half circle or pivot around to the left. The left foot then makes a sweeping pivot or semicircle (ronde) to the right and circling around to the left. The right foot again makes the sweeping pivot or circle, continuing the direction to the left and coming around in the half pivot or semicircle to the right.
Third measure:
- One walking step with the left foot to the right, second walking step with right foot toward the right, third walking step with left foot toward the right, fourth walking step toward the right, which gives a diagonal direction.
Fourth measure:
- Four walking steps forward commencing with the left foot. Then the Fox Trot Steps may be introduced and the Camel commences to stalk again or the Camel figures just given may be continued in a reversed direction. Any combination may be utilized following the will of the leader as long as it is slow and dragging in the Camel steps. |
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Last updated: April 25, 2013 |
http://www.Streetswing.com/histmain/d5index.htm |
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