What is a shimmy in dance?
(Entry 1 of 2) 1 [by alteration] : chemise. 2 [short for shimmy-shake] : a jazz dance characterized by a shaking of the body from the shoulders down. 3 : an abnormal vibration especially in the front wheels of a motor vehicle.
Who started the shimmy?
In 1916 a dancer named Gilda Gray popularized the dance, and claimed to have invented it. Gray couldn’t keep still when she sang, and when she moved her shoulders the straps of her dress would slide down, revealing her chemise (shimmy).
Why was the shimmy popular?
Easy to do and hard to resist, the shimmy was one of the first dances to benefit from modern mass culture as it made its way across America wax recordings, touring burlesque hoofers, and even very early films — and its story illustrates how pop trends are made from equal parts exploitation and enthusiasm.
When was the shimmy dance popular?
1920s
Shimmy By Smith, Asheley B. The dance, often associated with female sexuality, rose to mass popularity in the United States in the late 1910s and early 1920s, after emerging in the American South around the turn of the twentieth century within African-American communities.
Why was the Shimmy popular?
How do shimmy?
A shimmy is a dance move in which the body is held still, except for the shoulders, which are quickly alternated back and forth. When the right shoulder goes back, the left one comes forward.
Why was the shimmy banned?
The dance was often considered to be obscene and was frequently banned from dance halls during the 1920s. The move is also known in Gypsy dances. In Russian this move is called “Tsyganochka”, or “gypsy girl”, and is done by gypsy female dancers to produce a chime of costume decorations made of the sewn-on coins.
Where did the song the shimmy come from?
The Shimmy was mentioned in sheet music called the “Bulfrog Hop” back to 1908 ( probably referred to the shake and quiver version but Bradford called it the shimmy) and can be seen all the way back in an old edison film entitled ‘Princess Rajah’ dated 1902 but wouldn’t become popular with white America till the 1920s with Gray and West.
When did the shimmy dance become a dance move?
The dance move with this name is used in various modern dances. In the early 1960s, several dance songs featuring the Shimmy became hits, including Bobby Freeman ‘s ” Shimmy, Shimmy “, the Olympics ‘ ” Shimmy Like Kate “, and Little Anthony & the Imperials ‘ ” Shimmy Shimmy Ko-ko Bop “.
What does the shimmy mean in belly dancing?
The shimmy is also a class of belly dance moves. Depending on the desired effect, style, teacher, and country of origin of the particular dance, a shimmy might be executed differently, but altogether, the shimmy will manifest as a fast shaking or shuddering movement that can be rhythmic or arrhythmic.
Who was the Shimmy Dancer for the streetswings?
Streetswings Dance History Archives: The Shimmy 1920 – Ann Pennington 1929 – Louis ‘Jota’ Cook (Shake dancer) 1920’s – Ethel Walters 1930’s – Ivie Anderson 1920 – Gilda Gray 1950’s – Bertica Serrano 1928 – Bobbie Arnst
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ja8hamnuJY