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The Slow Drag dance is somewhat what its name suggests. Originally
very popular only in the Barrel-Houses and Juke Joints of the
South. In the early evening the music was up tempo, but later
during the night the music changed to slow, low-down blues and
this dance was done to very slow, sensual music, so it fit perfectly.
The couples would hold each other tight, do a few steps and then
grind each other, then a few steps and repeat more grinding all
night... sometimes they would just grind and barely move. The
Slow Drag was also a featured dance in the traveling Medicine
Shows and Gilly's (Gillies) in the early 1900s.
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The Slow Drag was first reported in New Orleans during the 1890's
... and as a social dance later became popular among the college
set in the early 1900's and was considered as a variation of the
Two-Step. There is some evidence that the pre-tango danza was
a strong influence in the original version.
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In 1929 Broadway would be introduced to this social dance in the
stage play called "Harlem!" with most critics in exasperation
at the undulating and writhing of the bodies and Burns Mantle
of the 'News' exclaiming that the police would stop the orgiastic
exhibition. The dance was eventually toned down due to many Harlem
groups objecting to the dance and at the request of the authorities.
See
Basic Steps at bottom of page.
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Birth Place |
Creation Date |
Creator |
Dance Type |
| New
Orleans |
Late
1890s |
n/a |
Ragtime |
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Night Clubs |
Theaters |
Locations |
| n/a |
n/a |
Louisiana |
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New
York |
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The
South |
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Films / Movies |
Television |
Ballets / Stage |
| 1929
- St. Louis Blues (Smith and Mordecai) |
n/a |
1929
- Harlem! |
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1997
- The Slow Drag: A Jazz Musical $ |
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Publications |
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1929
- Brooklyn Eagle (Arthur Pollack) |
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1929
- News (Byron Mantle) |
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1929
- World News (Alison Smith) |
Dancers, Choreographers etc. |
Political |
| Alcide
Pavageau (b.1888) |
Bssie
Smith and Jimmy Mordecai |
n/a |
| Coot
Grant |
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Books, Magazine Articles on the dance... |
| Title |
Author |
Date
Published |
Publisher |
| n/a |
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Musicians |
Singers |
Poets / Writers |
| Alcide
'Slow Drag' Pavageau (b.1888) |
n/a |
n/a |
| Buster
Brown[pt. 1&2] |
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| Donald
Byrd |
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| Eubie
Blake |
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| Louis
Chauvin |
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| Scott
Hayden |
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| Scott
Joplin (c.1867 - 1917) |
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Misc. Research Words that may be related ... to help your searches |
| Ragtime
Dance |
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Basic
... (Scott Joplin version)
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| 1).
The Slow Drag must begin on the first beat of each measure.
2). When moving forward, dragging the left foot; when moving backward,
dragging the right foot.
3). When moving sideways to the right, drag the left foot; when
moving sideways to left, drag the right foot.
4). When 'prancing', your steps must come on each beat of the
measure.
5). When marching and when sliding, your steps must come on the
first and the third beat of each measure.
6). Hop and skip on second beat of each measure. Double the Schottische
step to fit the slow music.
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