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Turkey Trot Dance History

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You Are here: Page Updated:  February 27, 2010
Streetswings Dance History Archives: Turkey Trot
Turkey Trot
Turkey Trot

    Most historians agree that the Turkey Trot was invented in San Francisco around 1909, but some have reported that it came from Central America in the 1860's (unlikely).

   It has been said that dancers John Jarrott and Louise Gruenning introduced this dance as well as the Grizzly Bear at Ray Jones Cafe' in Chicago, IL. around 1909. The name Turkey Trot relating to dancing goes back further to 1895 in the song "Pas Ma La" where the dancer is urged to got to the World's Fair and do the Turkey Trot dance, so its probably a folk dance that became a Ragtime Dance later.

   The Turkey Trot was not a very graceful dance, but is considered one of the first of the so called animal dances to catch on with the public. The Trot was basically a face to face dance (meaning: not

danced off to the side of each other like the Peabody,) taking one step on each beat of music, while holding her tightly around the waist or 'hugging' as it was called back then. While dancing the Turkey Trot, dancers would sway to and fro, going in a straight line around the floor, while occasionally "Pumping or Flapping" of the arms was encouraged, thus giving the name of the Turkey Trot. Occasionally the man would let go of the lady and dance behind her, and on occasion add a little hop or skip in the step.

   Many people as well as whole communities thought of the Turkey Trot as demoralizing and or sexually suggestive and tried "Bans" on the dance but this only added to it's popularity, even the Castles tried to eliminate this dance from society in 1914, even tho it was this very dance that gave the Castle's their first break in the dance business.

   A few examples:
1) on July 22, 1913, written in a dance card from the Exposition Park dancing pavilion in Conneaut Lake, PA. it was written that "the Bear Dance (Grizzly Bear) and Turkey Trot would not be tolerated."
2) A Paterson, New Jersey court imposed a fifty day prison sentence on young women for doing the Turkey Trot.
3) 15 Women were fired from a well known magazine for doing the Turkey-Trot during their lunch break, and there are many more stories like these such as the Vatican's official's issue of disapproval.

    However, the music was fun to listen too and made you move your feet and most of all was a fun shameful dance to do in that day of time. As with most dances, if the average dancer could dance to it, it would become popular with the masses and the musical breaks were easy to master. The Turkey Trot allowed you to dance very close to your partner (hugging), unlike the old Waltz were dancers kept a proper distance and was not hard to do.

In his book "The modern dance" by Ham, he writes:
   "the Houston Chronicle reported: "Turkey Leg" is the newest disease. It gets its name because it comes from "turkey trotting" too much. High society, the kind that dwells in Newport, has it. Houston, if it turkey trots too much, may get it. And Houston mothers as well as Newport mothers have of recent date become worried. Doctors to the turkey trotting rich say that the only cure is to shake your leg or get it pulled several times daily. The cause is that turkey trotters trot mostly on one leg. This shortens and cramps one leg, causing pains and aches. Hence the doctors and the "shakes" and pulls. Another worry is the "split" bathing skirt. They have appeared in force at Newport and a few dared the surf at Galveston. One in brilliant red, much slashed, was at the Breakers last Sunday. Next Sunday The Chronicle will print a full page story illustrated in colors about the new "Turkey Leg" illness and the split skirt." (note: they were jokingly printing this article.)

    Most couples dances of the time had some kind of animal name attached to it (thought to make it successful) such as the Bunny Hug , Horse Trot, Buzzard Lope and Grizzly Bear to name a few. In Germany they called it (trots) the "Truthahn Tanz," and in France it was the "Pas fiu Dindon". The Turkey Trot was replaced by the Fox Trot in 1914.

Birth Place

Creation Date

Creator

Dance Type

San Francisco 1895 ?Song Version = John Jarrott and Louise Gruenning ? Ragtime Dance
 

Posters, Lobby Cards etc.

Sheet Music Covers

Music Titles

n/a - Le Gigot - Le Gigot
      1909 - On The Mississippi 1895 - Pas Ma La
     

1912 - Turkey Trot

1909 - On The Mississippi
     

1912 - Turkey Trot Glide

1912 - Turkey Trot
     

1913 - Around The Hall

1912 - Turkey Trot Glide
      1913 - Lets Dance Rag 1913 - Around The Hall
     

1913 - Everybody Two Step
      1913 - Lets Dance Rag
      1913 - Some Baby
      1925 - Ragtime College
      1963 - Let's Turkey Trot
      Everybody's Doin It (popular)
       
 

Ballrooms / Night Clubs

Theaters

Locations

Most Dansants at the time

n/a

San Francisco

Breaker's (Palm Beach - 1913)      

New York, Fifth Ave.

Cafe' Des Beaux

     

Turkey Trot Parade-Cuervo, TX. (turkey's not dancers) 11/26/1912

Follies Bergere (Paris 1913)      
Palais de Danse (Berlin 1913)       Europe

Ray Jones Cafe' (1909)

       

Rector's

       

Sherry's

       

Waldorf

       

Films

Ballets / Stage

1910 - The Feud and the Turkey (?maybe related) 

1912 - Washington D.C. "Casino" (Palmer Hines)

1913 - Dancing Lessons (Kalem)

1913 - The Sunshine Girl (Castles)

1913 - Pathe Weekly (Turkey Trot & Grizzly Bear)

1914 - The Flat Hunters (by Julie McCree)

$ 1947 - The Fabulous Dorsey's  
     

Publications

      1/2/1910 - Oakland Tribune (Club women wage war on Tough Dances)
      12/22/1910 - Oakland Tribune (Pavlova Loves the Turkey Trot)
      11/5/1911 - Washington Post (Originated in San Francisco - Intro at Newport)
      11/21/1911 - Fort Wayne Daily News (Wisconsin Police ban dances)
      1/6/1912 - Washington Post (Modern Dances come to)
      1/26/1912 - Kansas City Star (Ragtime Dances)
      4/25/1912 - Washington Post (pg 12)
     

1/4/1913 - Denver Republican Newspaper

      2/6/1913 - Washington Post (Helen Keller says she can Turkey Trot)
      3/15/1913 - Fort Wayne Sentinel (Charm Dance Bans Turkey Trot)
      8/25/1913 - Washington Post (Bar Harbor embraces trot where others ban/arrested)
      10/26/1913 - Lima Daily News (Police Woman Taught Bunny Hug / Turkey Trot Properly)
           

Other Related Dances of the time ... and various Trots

Apache Dance

Dallas Dip (1912)

Lambeth Walk

Suzy-Q

Big Apple

Duck Trot

Lame Duck

Tango

Break Away

Fish Walk (1913)

Maxixe

Texas Tommy

Bunny Hug / Bunny Wiggle

Foxtrot

One Step

Tiger, the (1913)

Buzzard Lope

Futuristic Twirl (1916)

Peabody

Toddle

Cakewalk

Gaby Glide

Peelin' The Peach

Trotto (1500s)

Camel Walk

Gilda Glide

Quickstep

Trottart (1480)

Castle Walk

Grapevine (1912) Sea Sick Glide (1913)

Truckin'

Charleston

Grizzly Bear

Shimmy

Two Step

Clifford Trot

Horse Trot (1912)

Shivers, the (1912)

Varsity Drag

Collegiate ....

Irish Trot

Slow Drag Wish Wash Glide (1913)

Dancers, Choreographers etc.

Political

1910 - Anna Pavlova   Alfred Horatmann (German Embassy - 1912)
1912 - Henry Martin (Champion Skater & Clogger)   Mr. Haniel German Embassy (1912)
1912 - Irene Weston - Jack Clifford   Mr Van Brock Russian Embassy (1912)
1912 - Josephine Hartman    

1912 - Palmer Hines and his Six Musical Maids

   

1913 - Bankoff and Girlie

   

1913 - Evelyn Nesbit & Jack Clifford

 

 

1913 - Maurice Mouvet

   
1916 - Donald Brian & Carol McCommas

 

 

U.S. Thompson

   

Vernon & Irene Castle

   

Books, Magazine Articles on the dance...

Title

Author

Date Published

Publisher

Dancing Till Dawn

Malnig, Julie

1992

N.Y.University Press

From Turkey Trot to Big Apple

Crowther, Bosley

11/7/1937

N.Y. Times

Harper's Weekly Magazine

-

1910

-

$ Jazz Dance

Stearns, Marshal

1963

Da Capo Press

Modern Dance, a historical and analytical treatment of the subject ...

Ham, M. F.

1913

n/a

New York Sun

Newspaper

1/14/191?

n/a

Musicians

Singers

Additional TT Music Titles

Band, Prince's

n/a

1907 - I'm Dreaming of the Girl I Love (back Cover)

Band, Turkey Trot

   

1909?- Too Much Mustard (Columbia #A1307 )

Band, Victor Marching

   

1909 - On The Mississippi (Columbia #A1307)

Berlin, Irving

   

1911 - I'm Crazy Bout Me

Dabney, Ford

   

1913 - Round The Hall (Turkey Trot / Tango)

Dorsey Bros.

   

1913 - Somebody

Europe, James Reese

   

1913 - Saturday Evening Post

Eva, Little (c.1963)

   

1914 - Thanks For The Lobster (Tango/Turkey trot)

Rubenstein, Anton (1829-1894)

   

Le Gigot

Penn, William H.

   

Ragtime College

W.C. Handy

   

Everybody's Doin It

     

Bobbin' Up and Down

     

International Rag Medley

     

Hop-A-Long

     

Old Folks Rag

     

The Turkey Trot

     

Tickle Toes (Penn)

     

Ticklish Sensation

     

1963 - Let's Turkey Trot (by Little Eva)

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

Animal Dances

Collegiate

Dansants

Teas

Barbary Coast

Dance Bans / Banished / Banned

Society dances

Wiggle Dances

Cabarets Dance Craze Suggestive Dances

WWI

Freak Dances Nickel Dance Halls Tough Dancing Tenderloin Dance Halls
       
Note: Trot de Cavalerie [Rubenstein] -- (1890's) may be a relation? (see Classical_Music_Archives.com)

The Basic Step

Bear Hug Type-Closed Position. Leader Left foot Follower Right foot. Leader starts with continuous walking around the floor with partner forward until a break in the music, Couple hops back, still holding hand and doing the "Heel Touches" below, then resume walking, repeat.

Leaders part, (Follower opposite)
1 - Walk (Lt)
2 - Walk (Rt) ...
3-4 - Heel Fwd. Touch (Lt) (slow)
5-6 - Heel Fwd. Touch (Rt) (slow)
7 - Heel Fwd. Touch (Lt) (quick)
8 - Heel Fwd. Touch (Rt) (quick)

February 27, 2010
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