1920's Dance: The Baltimore

[mike54101527]

Do the Baltimooooooooooooooooooooorrr­rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr­r!

[mama86861]

Aaron 1912: Thanks so much for sharing this video. Beautiful dance, great foot work! To those who say that today's dancing is "boring ass shuffling..." I say: take up a Salsa or Argentine tango class. Ballroom dance is very much alive.

[darkkoolman1]

this is my favourite jazz song or is it big band?

[DjShustah]

great times, except for all the racism

[wasp9]

@DjShustah That's horrible and all, but I'm white.

[Classic1930s]

You think those days were good times. But you see only the video. The people were very poor.

They had not even money to buy food for themselves . The video is a video-these are the rich people. I was born in 1908, thank God that we were rich.

[Classic1930s]

This is a song that I danced when I was young. I'm 103 years old.

I liked that song. Thank for posting that video.

[Txboy85A]

Reminds me of an old sign painted on the side of a tavern in Fell's Point in Baltimore "VOTE NO ON PROHIBITION"

[eliyaguy]

this is outstanding! song, sound quality, the dance scene, the perfect synch job, simply great!

[mvnkct]

Love this music. So refreshing to hear this compared to all the NOISE they call music today.

[bluedoris88]

totally enjoyable., I went to baltimore few years ago., fantasic aquarium!

[Lester2955]

What a fun video. Thankyou for posting.

[Micelli1947]

They don't dance like that anymore in Baltimore!!

[tonytonytee]

man these times seemed so neat...

[met12345100]

that is a old pic

[tetrazzini]

thank you so much for your videos !!!

[goldenjb]

I was wondering if you knew the record number of this song. It should be a columbia record and the record number should end with the letter, D. Thanks.

[glawsny]

@goldenjb This record wasn't issued in the US.It's a British Columbia,recorded January 1928 in London.

[MrSonnenaufgang]

is so strong, class-

[1zwitser]

amazing dance!!!

[charlesnorte]

Es simple: me gusta (It´s simple: I like it)

[49bobbyk]

So cool. So classy.

[reallyconfused]

I love this video--and the song--and on top of that, one of the dancers is named Beryl, haha. That's my name! And it was like the most popular name in either England or America (I can't remember) in 1928, so it kind of fits the video's timing. History is wicked cool.

[marlzandboultv]

YEAH!!!!!!!! BALTIMORE!!

[louisa1832]

Fun. fun, FUN! They make this look easy, but I'm sure it isn't.

[FreeBlago1]

Old dudes perving on young cat back then too,....nothing changes I guess.

[RubyNbj]

That...was....AMAZING!!! xD

[jumbofun13]

does anyone know the lyrics to the singing part in this song?

[jkfan2005]

@jumbofun13 I'm not up to transcribing from the audio right now, but Janet Klein does these lyrics (not using an opening verse like is heard on this record) There's a dance that's got'em Like Black Bottom Called Baltimore Oh baby that dance has got A rhythm that's hot When the band starts playin' You'll start swayin' Like an old see-saw And you'll begin steppin' out Get up and shout Hey, hey! (end part 1)

[jkfan2005]

@jumbofun13 (Part 2 -- ran out of characters)

First you count the beat

Then you double it, then repeat

Then your feet slide over the floor

There's a dance that's got'em

Like Black Bottom never did before

No sir!

Do that twister, The Baltimore!

[xRockaJoJox]

This is what I call dancing

[srp960]

The Roaring 20's. Where Rock and Roll originated.

[gtwhite707]

Where was this filmed? Here in Baltimore?

[Aaron1912]

In London, England



[davidglow3]

@Aaron1912 Aaron do you know who the vocalist is.He is rather good,but cannot find him singing on other Fred Rich records...This is still your best work

[Aaron1912]

Vocal refrain was provided by Arthur Humby

[happyness0421]

I love this song.

[ExcelsiorElectric]

I love the syncopation at 0:27 and 1:20, it's done with such drive and fervor! I especially like the build up to the repeat at 2:15. God, where did music go astray?

[israelme123]

I'm 8 and I love this

[israelme123]

I wish we had this music today instead of Justin beiber lol

[Xitrax]

I'm 13, I simply adore this!

[jeliyful]

too bad men don't know how to dance now

[thelonelyslayer]

@jeliyful haha. i know, rigth? standing in the same spot for 3 hours, feet planted, and thrusting your hip....is not dancing. i'm sorry. it's not.

[thelonelyslayer]

@Aaron1912 do you know what singer/band plays this song? i want to try and buy it for my own.

[skimdit]

Notice that the dancing is done with the feet not by shaking what is known as the booty.Dancing is pattern -making with the feet.

[brennanww]

this dancing looks like fun, not like the boring ass shuffling back and forth we do today

[thelonelyslayer]

@brennanww THANK YOU! No offense to this generation but we fuckin lost the ability to dance like that roaring generation did. If i see 1 more person at a club grinding or standing still in one spot the whole night i'm going to puke.

[2reeler]

wow! I never knew that footage existed for this hot 20s tune! I have loved this song since I heard the 78 of Jack Crawfords band doing it ! What a fun time to live in! Thanks for your amazing 20s dance films! I love how you sync them together so perfectly!

[CurruAtofiao]

exelenteee

que buen perreo

[burntghost]

song is absolutely AMAZING the dance is equally AMAZING just one question...whats the name of the song???

[Aaron1912]

The song is called 'Baltimore'.  The dance is also called 'Baltimore'.

[shortjockbalt]

Really, the recordings of this time were NOT muddy and distorted. If you think so, you're probably hearing them played on substandard modern equipment, and not on the original Viva-Tonal or Orthophonic machinery. Also, having grown up in Baltimore, I thought that this was just how one DID the foxtrot--little did I know, until I left town, that NO ONE else was quite this frantic!

[bubbajimmy8]

Awesome song I live in Baltimore , this is my new Theme song

[Dancefusion]

great post!

[jonutarr]

These recordings were crude but I can guarantee this music would have absolutely sounded awesome live

[luvebug21]

@jonutarr crude?

[jonutarr]

dictionaries are your friend :)

[luvebug21]

@jonutarr im sure,i know what crude is but i didnt get the context it was used in*poshbutt

[jonutarr]

This recording is not what you would have heard live, the recordings for these times were muddy, lacking definition and distorted, you are not hearing a lot of the character of the instruments

I own a great big 28" Jazz bass drum from this era and I can tell you it sounds great much better the the modern 22" BD I've had in the past, the 1920 black beauties are the most sort after snares drums around

type in search "The Making Of: A Retrospect - Part2" in youtube to see what I'm saying

[luvebug21]

@jonutarr Aye sir! :)

[tastybedsore]

fuck those old ass people stack them on tables and pour there beer out!

[cenotosa1]

such great times.

[Dg8765]

could you possibly send me the original version of this?? Its for a class of mine? Thanks.

[BrutalTechniques]

haha i love heave metal but also like quick step :P

[VFTransformer]

haha same here :)

[GKOBE]

I love this age!!!!

[tls421]

Do you have the lyrics?

[gameonline13]

I would totaly love to see this in real life but anyways the 1920's to the 1980's are my fav decades. The 90's are ok but 2000 it sucks...By the way I love 20's music ^^

[purclassic1]

This and the Big Band music was music you could dance to..todays music its kinda hard, especially the songs that todays youth listens to..you can even dance to it lol I like music you can really dance to! this would be it:)

[purclassic1]

Aw ur not weird at all! I love the 20s 30s and 40s ppl who think ur weird have no appreciation for real or good music! Gotta love those days:) Always be unique its the best person you could be...urself:)

[boxajr]

agreed m8

[youarpa]

♥ Fantastic♥

[DarkHeart793]

I'm 15 and wish that I'd been around during the jazz age, most people think I'm wierd for it, but hey, I'm happy being like that.

[mjg48]

I also get the same response from my friends, but at the same time they also want me to teach them how to dance it.lol

[nhojohnbibbz]

@DarkHeart793 i hear you, im not much older you and i love anything from the 1920's to the early 1960's.

[bixchick007]

@DarkHeart793

good for you, there are lots others out there...really!

[MrsCullenJankowski]

@DarkHeart793 I feel the same way.

[toddviv]

@DarkHeart793 you belong in a rest home for saying that

[BubblysimsFilms]

@DarkHeart793 i know! i whish i would been around for 1947.And i'm,like,12.

[PolishedMonocle]

@DarkHeart793 Your not the only one.

[Tacoflavoredkiss1]

I love 20's music. It's my favorite. I'm probably the only 14 year old that enjoys it haha.

[Mr1920s]

No your not. I'm 14 too!

[Tacoflavoredkiss1]

YAY!!!! I'm not alone! I knew there had to be someone out there!

[BlueRio9]

wish I had known about this for my wedding 1.5 years ago at the historic Westminster Hall in Downtown B'more.

[Pateretfilius]

Greet tune the old rag time i love the two steep foxtrot with da dames o ye playing with my violine case haha

[ishouldplayzelda]

this is from when music was "humble" if that's the right word to use....................i wonder if there are any girls in my grade that like 20's-40's music

[AlisonTonks]

I have liked it for a lonnng time! :) I am in college now but in high school, I still loved it.

[talmadge1926]

I love this and watch it often. But can anyone tell me which of these ladies is Phyllis Haylor? All i know is that Alec Millar and Phyllis Haylor were the british Tango champions of 1926 and 1927 and that she was the doyenne of ballroom dancing into the 1960's

[Aaron1912]

Phyllis is dancing with Alec Millar (the tallest man in this video) You can see them dance a variation of the charleston in my video 'The Quick Step VS The Charleston'

[talmadge1926]

thanks vm

[bubbajimmy8]

baltimore ftw

[msjosephh]

I think that the lyrics are wonderful

[ellenhawk]

Delightful video and music, It is just too bad that folks do not dance like that anymore.

[spike2969]

Hi,

Beautiful video! I just want to know: what's the name of the dance? Please answer me, it's for a schoolwork.

Thanks

[Aaron1912]

The Baltimore

[Sonoraman]

What a cool video! What a cool tune! You should hear the Bix Beiderbecke version!

[stlgtrace]

Excellent, beautiful effect with the blue, makes it look like it could have been filmed yesterday. Keep up the great work!

[pang5]

Does anyone know how popular The Baltimore every actually became? I'm curious.

Fantastic video, Aaron. Thank you SO much for posting it.

[little5819]

I don' t think it was terribly popular. I've been researching this era for 20 years and this is the 1st I've heard of it.

[pang5]

That's too bad. Baltimore could use some advertising. I love that city.

Thanks for the info!

[Morahman7vnNo2]

They were high...On life AND Reefer.

[iamliina]

it's amazing how clips like this is kept for today's views .

[199520002002]

a dream

[DrFong]

What are the lyrics he sings? There is one part I can't get!

[miguelmouta]

Hey Aaron, keep things comin ! Nice deal !

[Zeanu]

Brilliant. :)

[Misssporty652]

please send this video to my accout is tht even possble i need it as soon as possible i am doindg a pres. for work andi need it by tomarrow and i would love to use any 1920's dance videos showing dancing seens. Thanks you

[Jbass357]

dance scenes.

[donisalexandru]

tom and jerry

[Corrie121]

hebneh.

I agree with your comment, and I reckon the easiest one to follow was "Ballin the Jack".

Thank you Aaron for sharing these great postings.

[ishouldntbeyoutubing]

Red Nichols and his 5 Pennies (or was it Miff Mole and his Molers) recorded this song, as did Frankie Trumbauer with Bix, Lang, Venuti and Rollini.

[alans1960]

I CAN'T STOP watching this video! This is SO GREAT!! The music is ABSOLUTELY AWESOME!! The dancers are beautiful to watch. THANK YOU for posting this fantastic 1920's piece of jazz history for all to see !!!!

[phycocat1307]

I think I'm gonna use this 4 my 1920's project 4 school thanks!!

[hebneh]

Periodically there are dance crazes. The first one was around 1910 (Turkey Trot, Grizzly Bear), then the late '20s (like The Baltimore, shown here, as well as lots of other dances that appear in other early sound films), then the early '60s (Twist, Mashed Potatoes, Swim, etc.) In each case, there were songs that would name the dance, give some rudimentary instructions as to how to do it, and then inform you that this is the latest sensation to sweep the nation.

[HarborGuy]

Hot stepping they had fun 70 years ago my mom said it and it's true this proves it...

[moonshiny74]

That's cute! I never knew this dance existed...until now. I must learn it and do it now.

[carolerory]

frankly, ballroom dancing was much for fun

back then with the exception of quickstep.

Way to serious and watered down in most ballrooms today. Dancing should be fun.

These steps can be used in swing or Texas

swing with a good deal of fun. Looks a little

like the Balboa steps they did in the 30's.

[TrainNico]

Oh, 1920'er years...

Great! :-)

[wolfiejazz]

I think this number was written and recorded by Clarence Williams Blue 5 with Katherine Henderson in 1927. Great version here.

[somersetdc]

Really fun...a great pick-up to listen to and watch when you're feeling a little blue. Thanks!

[copsarecomin]

just like that! yeah! thats right!

[Sviergeman]

wonderful!

[ToujoursMonCoeur]

I never knew we had a song! Yay Baltimore!

[ReidOphone]

Awesome, thank you for you assemblage of the tune to the surviving footage (for I think this to be the case): that it is 1927 or '28, and it is as much as popular-mass-market-how-to, rather than pure entertainment. And I figure that the orignal sound was on disk, not opitical recording on the film's edge, for the audio quality is higher than that.

It is a most excellent, memorable tune and video. THANK you for putting it here for new life; and full of real life it is!

[xarina77]

I'd never heard of this dance before - thx for posting. Anyone know of any more clips?

[Misslucy000]

lovely dance!!!:-)

[Mr1920s]

This is just grand.

Thanks

[yogisuperman]

I've added this to my favorites! Janet Klein has a new version of "Baltimore". Check it out! Click on my name to get the video!

[uslines]

I've commented on your wonderful recordings. Now I must thank you for your great dance clips. Wonderful, simply wonderful. Thanks...again.

[Jasminebeautyfairy]

thanks for emailing this to me its fab i love the way the dancers get spotlighted

[Direness]

This is adorable!

[EdisonSquirrel]

Superb song and video! Thanks so much for posting this.

[Drewfan30s]

This is a very great video! I really like the 1920s, it was beautiful. I wish I could go back in these times. I really like your work!

[laughland]

A very creative combination of great vintage film and the wonderful music which belongs with it! Well done (again) Aaron.

[bixchick007]

Wow, I've never seen this dance before! You have to be dancer and from the UK. I've been trying to figure out 20's dances from vintage films and this is valuable stuff!

I'm a big Savoy Orpheans fan too.

[kspm01]

Awesome footage!  Thank you for posting.

[davortho10]

I've already watched this numerous times so I could learn. Just GREAT! I always enjoy your videos, you do such wonderful stuff. This is one my parents didn't show me how to do. And, just in case your wondering, I'm 47. My father was in Highschool in 1928 and my mother wasn't to far behind. I'm what they used to call "a change of life baby"....lol. I've always felt very lucky to have such a direct connection to this time.

[BCraven04]

A real treat as always, Aaron! Thanks for uploading this, I've never heard of the Baltimore before and while I can't say I like it better than the Charleston, it's still pretty cool. Man, Lord knows I wish I could travel back in time to the 20s!

[HarborGuy]

Too Great awesome dancing and footwork..Wishing it would come back......

[serapidus]

That was awesome the music, the dancing and the costumes. Thank you

[BaltoJoey]

I'm from Baltimore and had never heard of this dance. Thanks for posting another great clip.

[ladyvee7110]

Ha! Wasn't familiar with The Baltimore just The Charleston. Thanks for posting.

[norfolk03]

So alive! I love it, Thanks!

[slannes]

Absolutely fabulous. What an incredible era!

Many thanks!