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theTwist
lead the way for many 1960's fad dances however no other dance
craze really came close to it. Close to 500 dances would be introduced
in the early 1960s, some where offshoots of others while others
were unique and some just down right stupid. Only a few dances
would become popular such as the Frug, the Swim, Hully Gully,
The Mashed Potato, The Locomotion, theWatusi
and the Monkey to name a few.
>
The Monkey was introduced in 1963 with Major Lance's 'Monkey Time'
song. The dance is done face to face doing solo improvisations
based upon the antics of a monkey. Waving arms up in the air,
waving them from side to side, bobbing the head from side to side,
scratching of the arm pits, one leg up then hoping onto the other
leg, stopping and checking for lice in another dancers hair, picking
the lice out, etc.
>
What was leading the way for these dances you ask, the answer
is "SAND." Surfing was becoming extremely popular with
the young and sand was replacing the dance floors. This
sand would prove the death kill to any of the prior dances
that required spinning or traveling while promoting stationary
dances such as the Twist, Clam, Surf,
Watusi, Frug and Monkey. These dancers
could basically just stand in place in the sand and
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do the dances. Movies and Television would also help promote these
dances such as American Bandstand, Gidget, Elvis flicks etc.
>
Many solo dances would come to be and Girls would be paid to demonstrate
the dances of the day while dancing on raised platforms, becoming
known as Go-Go Dancers, these dancers would help lead the way
for the Mini-Skirt and the Monkey being one of the main dances.
The Monkey is considered to be a Philadelphia dance because of
the show American Bandstand. The dance is said to have some connections
to the old Heebie-Jeebies dance.
|
Birth Place |
Creation Date |
Creator |
Dance Type |
| Philadelphia |
1963 |
n/a |
Dance
Craze / Fad Dance |
|
Posters, Lobby Cards etc. |
Sheet Music Covers |
Music Titles |
| n/a |
n/a |
3
Little Weird's (Stein) [Halloween] |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
Do
the Monkey |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
Frug
Watusi Monkey and Mashed Potato |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
Horror
Staccato (Stein) [Halloween] |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
Lollipop |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
Mickey’s
Monkey |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
Monkey
Time (Major Lance's) |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
Monkey's
Uncle (Funicello) |
|
Night Clubs |
Theaters |
Television |
| Batman
A-Go-Go (CA) |
n/a |
American
Bandstand (Dick Clark Show) |
| Club
A-Go-Go |
|
|
|
Clay
Cole Show |
| Peppermint
Lounge (NY) |
|
|
|
Hullabaloo |
| Whiskey
A-Go-Go (CA) |
|
|
|
Rate
the Records |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
Ready
Steady Go! |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
Shindig! |
|
Films / Movies |
Ballets / Stage |
| 1965
- Village Of The Giants |
n/a |
| $
1988 - Hairspray [DVD] |
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
| Publications |
| n/a |
1966
- Dapper Special |
| |
|
|
Other Related Dances of the time... |
| Alligator,
the |
Bunny
Hop, the |
Finger
Poppin' |
Locomotion,
the |
Shag,
the |
| Bend
It , the |
Bus
Stop, the |
Fly,
the |
Madison,
the |
Shampoo,
the |
| Big
Bea, the (Frug) |
Calypso |
Freddie,
the |
Mashed
Potato |
Shoulder
Shake, the |
| Bird,
the |
Cavern
Stomp |
Frug,
the |
Monkey
Bird |
Slop,
the |
| Block,
the |
Chalypso |
Funky
Chicken, the |
Monkey
Shine |
Stroll,
the |
| Boogaloo,
the |
Ching-A-Ling |
Harlem
Shuffle, the |
Monkey
Stroll |
Surf,
The (Frug) |
| Bop,
the |
Clam,
the |
Hitchhike,
the |
Monkey
Walk |
Surfer
Stomp |
| Bossa
Nova |
Clapping
Dance |
Hucklebuck,
the |
Mule,
The |
Swim,
The |
| Boston
Monkey |
Continental
Walk |
Hully-Gully
|
Philly
Walk |
Thunderbird,
the (Frug) |
| Bristol
Hop, the |
Dog,
the |
Jerk,
The |
Pony,
the |
Twist,
the |
| Bristol
Stomp, the |
Duck,
the
|
Krunch,
the |
Rebel
Walk |
Ubangi
Stomp, the |
| Bug,
the |
Elephant
Walk, the |
Limbo
Rock (Limbo) |
Shadow
Walk |
Watusi,
the |
| Bump,
the |
|
|
|
|
Dancers, Choreographers etc. |
Political |
| Chubby
Checker |
Patrick
Kerr |
BYU
(Banned in 1966) |
| Dick
Blake |
Theresa
Confrey |
|
| 'Killer
Joe' Piro |
Toni
Basil |
|
| |
|
|
Books, Magazine Articles on the dance... |
| Title |
Author |
Date
Published |
Publisher |
| Discotheque
Dances |
Blake,
Dick |
1965 |
World
Publishing Co., |
| $
Jazz Dance: The Story of American ... |
Stearns,
Marshall |
1994 |
Da
Capo Press |
| Let's
Go Dancing |
Romain,
Elizabeth & Colby, Flick |
1979 |
Octopus
Books Ltd |
| Musicians
/ Bands |
Singers |
Poets / Writers |
| Don
George |
Annette
Funicello |
n/a |
| Frankie
Stein |
|
|
|
| Hollies,
the |
|
|
|
| Martin
Denny |
|
|
|
| Miracles,
the |
|
|
|
| Nitecaps,
the |
|
|
|
|
| Tubes,
the |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
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Misc. Research Words that may be related ... to help your searches |
| Dance
Crazes |
|
|
|
| 1960's
Fad Dances |
|
|
|
| Hipster
|
|
|
|
| Go-Go
Dancers |
|
|
|
| |
|
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Monkey
Time Lyrics |
The
Monkey: Basic Dance Steps (by Dick Blake) |
| Now
there’s a place right across town, whenever you’re
ready
Where the people gather ’round, whenever they’re ready
And then the music begins to play
You feel a groove comin’ on it’s way
Are
you ready? yes I’m ready.
You get yours, I got mine
For the monkey time, monkey time
Now
this dance that the people do, don’t know how it started
All I know is when the beat brings the feel
It’s hard to get parted
And then the music begins to play
And automatically you’re on your way
Are
you ready? yes I’m ready.
You get yours, I got mine
For the monkey time, monkey time
Do
the monkey yeah,
Do the monkey yeah,
Do the monkey yeah, yeah
Do the monkey yeah, yeah
Twist
them hips
Let your backbone slip
Now move your feet
Get on the beat
Are
you ready? yes I’m ready.
You get yours, I got mine
For the monkey time, monkey time
[spoken]
Say fee, are you ready tonight?
I’m ready baby.
But you’re ready for what, fee?
I’m ready to do the monkey.
But are you ready for my monkey?
I’m ready, and my monkey’s ready.
Your monkey? ! oooo, you’d better put that baby on a chain!
Say baby, my monkey know what he talkin’ about.
Now stop it fee!
Want
a whole lot o’ love tonight
Treat your monkey right
Want a whole lot o’ love tonight
Monkey time tonight |
1)>
Taking a fighter's crouch, face your partner and stand with feet
apart, knees bent. Bend arms and close fists, thumbs up.
2) Bend forward from waist to the
left, raising right arm. As your body bobs, your head also bobs
forward on each count. The whole effect is jerky.
3) Straighten up to original position.
4) Bend forward from waist toward
your partner, facing center, switching arms as you
do so.
5) Straighten to original position.
Hands and head should give impression of monkey holding two bananas.
6) Bend forward from waist to the
right. Straighten to original position.
7) Bob back to center, bending at
waist and again switching hands.
8) Repeat entire pattern. Counts
are double time, hitting every accent in the music. |
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