Courses

It's never too late to dance like a 1950s teenager! That decade saw the emergence of various dance styles that were heavily influenced by the music of the time, such as rock and roll, swing, and rhythm and blues. Overall, 1950s dance was characterized by its high energy, swing-inspired moves, and an emphasis on individual expression. In this course, we will learn a wide variety of fun and easy teen dances from the 1950s, including Rock 'n' Roll Swing, the Stroll, the Bop, Chalypso (teen cha-cha), the Madison, and some of the very first line dances. Many of these teen dances were never recorded in published dance manuals, and film clips of the moves are scarce, so these lessons reflect findings from over a hundred interviews with former ‘50s teens (including some Stanford alums) to collect their steps, styles, and variations. Each class will feature a themed dance that allows participants to learn the basic steps and progress to more advanced versions. There will also be a halftime break each evening, which will include slide presentations that showcase the background, history, influence, and social significance of all the dances covered. Students will enjoy upbeat classes within a fun and social atmosphere and will leave the course with a broad introduction to these dynamic dance styles.