I've been watching these videos with my future husband trying to learn how to step for our wedding and all the time his best friend was the one dancing in the background! So now we've got a new teacher! He's pretty good too! His name is Terrell, thank you Mr. Leon!
@TheRealMsMary Small world after all. Here's one for you: I just crossed paths with the lady he was dancing with leaving work late yesterday ... as she was headed to a MBA class.
Where in Chicago can I go, especially on the weekend, for old school bopping? This is a reference to the version which was popular in the 1960s and 70s. while, I visit the windy city
Look for steppers events billed as "dusty" steppers sets . JF Productions (Joe Ferguson ) Just re-started their monthly dance parties. You may not only step or bop but maybe do the Mashed Potato, Twine, Pony, Madison and Jerk too... now that stuff is old School!
Taught Steppin @ Hazel Crest Park District for 2,5 years. Learned to Bop back in 1966-67 in the woodlawn commuinity, and Kenwood High School 69-72. Back in the day when if you couldn't Bop you couldn't go out !
Oh, and the Bop is a derivative of the Swing. Also 6 count. As I told all our classes, my Wife and I are Ole School Boppers. Traditional Boppers. From the Southside of Chicago....
I understand. Boppers may have been better dancers than the fast-speed twist & turn, "slow salsa/mambo stuff" being taught as new skool stepping. And in the old days dancers had different styles based the 'hood they came from but everybody started on the same foot. But ultimately it is flowing with the music and advance dancers have more freedom of expression through improvised movements. Also, I dance swing & more.
P.S. The 1st dance I went to was at the Boys Club on 63rd & University in your old community about 1961 given by a pre-teen social club... too bad kids don't have the rich resource anymore.
I have to agree that I wish they taught partnered dancing at places like the Boys and Girls Club these days. If they have dances at all in the community for teens and pre-teens, there's never any introduction of any sort of social dancing & then they yell at the kids for booty grinding. A few places have classes for elementary school students in ballroom at least.
I have to say that I think the decline of social dance in kids/teens is our fault as adults. Adults used to dance at home, in street parties, in public places - now when we dance we put it in dance studios or clubs, & either we keep the kids at home or they aren't allowed in. Kids get interested from imitating their elders - we have to be in their PRESENCE to imitate in the first place, from a very young age if we want them interested in social dance.
Oh, I forgot to correct you... as said earlier I do swing dancing too (I learned them to round my dance education) and there is 6 AND 8 counts in some swing dances. (8 count = 10 weight changes/movesments in the basics and I do not think many steppers do true 8 count patterns musically... I teach my 2nd level students how to extend patterns,too.)
Are you saying I can't count to 8? There are 8 movements and that is what I counted. One of my first stepping instructors (1 of at least 9)was Calvin Barnes @ Kennedy-King College on the southside of Chicago but I learn to count in the 1950's.
Listen to the small clip again. I say we use 3 beats of music! And if you know music that was sufficent, if don't I didn't waste your time becuase U don't need it for social dancing. Music in 4/4 timing phrase would = 6 counts of the phrase. This straight count of movements is the KISS method of get'g people to socially dance quickly. But U-R free to teach anyway you want! And I am not wrong, I may teach differently from you.
And yes you are right as far as your particular style. But it sure was BETTER back then when the majority of the dancers were on the same FORMAT but with different styles. Came back from 4 years in the Navy, went to the GodFather on 77th and Halsted and there for the first time I heard that term "Steppin". It was the Bop when I left in 1974...
I am from Mississippi and I learned to "swing" of bop during the 60s. The swing is a lot of fun, but it is not like the Chicago steppin'. Is there anyone who still bops or swings?
Boppers are still out there... As far as "swing" goes that name covers many regional and some nationwide dances. But most times if people say swing with no modifier they are refering to east coast/ 6-count swing / triple swing. These dances have lost there popularity in Chicago's Black community... I should add one of the top teachers and competitors is a Black man in Chicagoland. Also, by definition steppin' is a (smooth) swing dance. I swing dance some times becuas it is what fits some music.
You took the words right out of my mouth. :-) Check out my favorites for examples of swing which includes dances like the jitterbug, lindy hop and carolina shag... they are alive and well in many places.
I have put in the favorites examples of the lindy hop, the hustle, jutterbug (jive + east coast). Also, there latin dances look at them too to see the the similarity of some of the dance figures that are being past off as "steppin". But, like I have said B4all dances borrow from other dances. I do not think we should change too much. Would the waltz be the waltz without the rise & fall?
I've been watching these videos with my future husband trying to learn how to step for our wedding and all the time his best friend was the one dancing in the background! So now we've got a new teacher! He's pretty good too! His name is Terrell, thank you Mr. Leon!
TheRealMsMary 1 year ago
@TheRealMsMary Small world after all. Here's one for you: I just crossed paths with the lady he was dancing with leaving work late yesterday ... as she was headed to a MBA class.
bbstepper 1 year ago
Where in Chicago can I go, especially on the weekend, for old school bopping? This is a reference to the version which was popular in the 1960s and 70s. while, I visit the windy city
cinalu07 4 years ago
Look for steppers events billed as "dusty" steppers sets . JF Productions (Joe Ferguson ) Just re-started their monthly dance parties. You may not only step or bop but maybe do the Mashed Potato, Twine, Pony, Madison and Jerk too... now that stuff is old School!
bbstepper 4 years ago
Taught Steppin @ Hazel Crest Park District for 2,5 years. Learned to Bop back in 1966-67 in the woodlawn commuinity, and Kenwood High School 69-72. Back in the day when if you couldn't Bop you couldn't go out !
Oh, and the Bop is a derivative of the Swing. Also 6 count. As I told all our classes, my Wife and I are Ole School Boppers. Traditional Boppers. From the Southside of Chicago....
Bostonian53rd 4 years ago
I understand. Boppers may have been better dancers than the fast-speed twist & turn, "slow salsa/mambo stuff" being taught as new skool stepping. And in the old days dancers had different styles based the 'hood they came from but everybody started on the same foot. But ultimately it is flowing with the music and advance dancers have more freedom of expression through improvised movements. Also, I dance swing & more.
bbstepper 4 years ago
P.S. The 1st dance I went to was at the Boys Club on 63rd & University in your old community about 1961 given by a pre-teen social club... too bad kids don't have the rich resource anymore.
bbstepper 4 years ago
I have to agree that I wish they taught partnered dancing at places like the Boys and Girls Club these days. If they have dances at all in the community for teens and pre-teens, there's never any introduction of any sort of social dancing & then they yell at the kids for booty grinding. A few places have classes for elementary school students in ballroom at least.
Direness 4 years ago
I have to say that I think the decline of social dance in kids/teens is our fault as adults. Adults used to dance at home, in street parties, in public places - now when we dance we put it in dance studios or clubs, & either we keep the kids at home or they aren't allowed in. Kids get interested from imitating their elders - we have to be in their PRESENCE to imitate in the first place, from a very young age if we want them interested in social dance.
Direness 4 years ago
Oh, I forgot to correct you... as said earlier I do swing dancing too (I learned them to round my dance education) and there is 6 AND 8 counts in some swing dances. (8 count = 10 weight changes/movesments in the basics and I do not think many steppers do true 8 count patterns musically... I teach my 2nd level students how to extend patterns,too.)
bbstepper 4 years ago
I'm from the Southside of Chicago, and his instructions are TRULY incorrect !!! The count is 6 for all the movement.
Bostonian53rd 4 years ago
Are you saying I can't count to 8? There are 8 movements and that is what I counted. One of my first stepping instructors (1 of at least 9)was Calvin Barnes @ Kennedy-King College on the southside of Chicago but I learn to count in the 1950's.
bbstepper 4 years ago
Listen to the small clip again. I say we use 3 beats of music! And if you know music that was sufficent, if don't I didn't waste your time becuase U don't need it for social dancing. Music in 4/4 timing phrase would = 6 counts of the phrase. This straight count of movements is the KISS method of get'g people to socially dance quickly. But U-R free to teach anyway you want! And I am not wrong, I may teach differently from you.
bbstepper 4 years ago
And yes you are right as far as your particular style. But it sure was BETTER back then when the majority of the dancers were on the same FORMAT but with different styles. Came back from 4 years in the Navy, went to the GodFather on 77th and Halsted and there for the first time I heard that term "Steppin". It was the Bop when I left in 1974...
Bostonian53rd 4 years ago
I am from Mississippi and I learned to "swing" of bop during the 60s. The swing is a lot of fun, but it is not like the Chicago steppin'. Is there anyone who still bops or swings?
cinalu07 4 years ago
Boppers are still out there... As far as "swing" goes that name covers many regional and some nationwide dances. But most times if people say swing with no modifier they are refering to east coast/ 6-count swing / triple swing. These dances have lost there popularity in Chicago's Black community... I should add one of the top teachers and competitors is a Black man in Chicagoland. Also, by definition steppin' is a (smooth) swing dance. I swing dance some times becuas it is what fits some music.
123hittoo 4 years ago
You took the words right out of my mouth. :-) Check out my favorites for examples of swing which includes dances like the jitterbug, lindy hop and carolina shag... they are alive and well in many places.
bbstepper 4 years ago
I have put in the favorites examples of the lindy hop, the hustle, jutterbug (jive + east coast). Also, there latin dances look at them too to see the the similarity of some of the dance figures that are being past off as "steppin". But, like I have said B4all dances borrow from other dances. I do not think we should change too much. Would the waltz be the waltz without the rise & fall?
bbstepper 5 years ago