Personal Recollections

Era Referenced: 1970's

Dian Davney
The Dungeon and the 70's

I was Bopping coming out of grade school going into high school the year was 1970. I grew up on the south side of Chicago (79th Ridgeland). A group of us teenagers started dancing in the candy store on the block. We would put our money in the juke box and step. My first dancing partner was Mr. Donnie Davis we were the two shortest ones on the block dancing, so we just sort of paired up. We all went to the house parties and school hops and did the fast dances also, but there was nothing like bopping or stepping. Back then stepping had a g on the end of the word. We started going out of the neighborhood to other places. The Midland hotel was the ultimate experience for me; I was basically a wallflower the girl the guys would get to practice with. The one place I remember was the The Dungeon, back then it was the place to go for young adults that could not get into the the clubs. We would get on the 78th street bus to the Dan Ryan El and take that to 95th and transfer to the Michigan bus. . My girlfriends would take the El from the Westside to get there. Now tell me we did not want to step. Back then we did not have a car if you were lucky to get a car you would have everyone trying to ride with you. We went out in groups back then. Mr. Sam Chatman along with Cousin Danny and Terrible Ted were the Dj we followed. We would line up on the steps going into the basement to go in to dance. They did not sell alcohol because we were not of age to drink. We would be down there dancing and sweating, the walls and floor would be sweating also. Sam was the dj that played stepping music while everybody else was into disco, so we followed Sam. Wherever he went, we followed Sam would have big poster like the ones you see for street cleaning plaster all over the city advertising his sets.
My favorite person to watch on the dance floor was Linda Foster and Little Tommy, and Slim and Nicky. Linda was such a dancer that when she was on the floor doing double and triple spins and turns you just had to sit back and watch because not many ladies back then could dance like she did. Slim had fast feet and he and Nicky would really put on a show on the floor. There was also Raymond and Baby 2. My husband likes to watch Michael keys and Michael Madden dance back then. I met my husband and my three girlfriends Linda, Mary, Pat (formerly the Foxetts) back then and we still continue to go out stepping with each other.
There are so many places that we went to too step, like the Ridgeland Club on 73rd Ridgeland, the Budland on 64th Cottage Grove, The Roadrunner 75th off exchange, the East of the Ryan on 79th street but back then it was the Colonial House, then Perrv s House and now the East of the Ryan, the Copper Box 1on 89th Ashland and the Copperbox 2 on 116th Halsted which into the 69club. The Keymans club on the Westside, the safari room the High Chaparral on 78th Stony Island, the Concept Ballroom on 79th Halsted, who can forget Loyola and Circle campus parties. These are just some of the places we remember the more we talk about them the more names we remember.
When we started bopping in the 70,s we danced at sets with Alice of the Dancetts, Black Mary, Lonnie Clark, Clinton Gent, Ronnie Paul, Jackson at the Budland. These people were bopping when we came in and changed bopping to stepping. They never stopped doing the way the dance and continue to dance the same way now. I am glad I started stepping at a young age (teenager). We did not learn from counting we learned from doing the dance, like at the candy store. We went from steppin fast in the 70 s to stepping smooth in the 80 s. Those of us that started dancing back in the 70 s and are still dancing now know that steppers stay in the middle of the floor and walkers on the outside. We know that any walking song that comes on we can slow bop or slow step or walk around the floor, I think we came dance like that because of the music that we came up dancing to the people we danced with and dancing to the music no counting steps. I had a chance of going to my friend class (Donnie Davis) in 1998 because I wanted to learn more turns, he taught a 6 count, and I always danced without counting. I also had the pleasure of going to Claudel s class. He and Swan gave me more confidence. Thank you Guys. So it s been over 30 years I still hang with the same 3 girlfriend, same husband and we still step.
Dungeoneer-Dian Davney

Marvin Wooten (Columbus, GA):

'member the steppers club "The Dungeon" used to be located on 110th and Michigan Ave. actually, between 110th place and 111th Street on Michigan Ave. That place was popping with steppers. I used to go there back in the early 70's, say between Oct '73 and the summer of '75. There was this one couple there....man they could "turn it out!" Sorry I don't remember the names, but I seen one move that I've never seen since. I myself, learned to step on the "block", we used to step to AWB-School Boy Crush, David Bowie-Fame and Kool & The Gang-Summer Madness, to name a few...! Man those were the days. Thanks for letting me share my memories.

Natalie (Chicago):
"I have been steppin since 1970,when I started in the Englewood area of Chicago, It was no such count as 6 or 8 we just learned it, followed it and adlibbed from the basic step. There is nothing like it. it soothes my soul being on that dance floor."

Monica (Detroit):
"Good morning, I would like to piggyback off of what the young lady said in the (SteppersUSA.Com) newsletter about stepping in the 1970's. Although I am no longer living in Chicago I was born and raised there. I now reside in Detroit, Michigan.
I remember back in the mid-70's when the fellows used to step in the corner restaurants doing lunch break while I was in my early years of high school in Chicago. I do not recall stepping being a lane dance back then as was stated previously the brothers and sisters just stepped. Whatever they were doing they made it look so smooth. I just recently became interested in stepping again during a return home visit to Chicago. (My sister attends Donnie Davis class there) You know Detroit is known for the Hustle (Line-Dance) and Ballroom dancing. Although Chicago steppin has become a very hot dance here and it seems everyone is interested in learning the new style of steppin . I guess because I remember Chicago steppin from back in the day when I first returned to class and did what I thought was steppin, they thought I was out of order. But now that I think about it back in the day when I first encountered steppin there was no lane, no count. So I say us old-timers are not out of line. The new school of steppin has taken over. It's cool though. I'm enjoying learning. Back then there were no classes. I guess in order to market the dance there had to be a change. It's a good change and I'm enjoying it."

Exact date not Specified (1950's)
Recollections from "Bopdaddy, King of Bop" (Chicago)
Each generation feels called upon to fashion the dance to the prevailing musical trend. From Swing music came the Jitterbug Dance, from R&B (Rock n' Roll) came the Bop Dance. But, for all you Steppin historians Steppin went thru many changes of one generation before it reached the the stage we call Steppin.
Many country cousins got off the boat excitedly shouting, "teach us how to do the Chicago Bop (1955)!"
We danced to music like Rockin Robin. By the time white kids picked up on the Bop Dance (1957), The blackfolk developed a new Bop Dance called the Pershing Bop (1958-1959). Named after the famous Pershing Hotel on 64th & Cottage Grove and the dance place downstairs, in the basement was called Budland. *Originally, Cadillac Bob's Birdland (name changed in March to Budland)
Now, we move on to the Latin beat an it's influence on the music and the dance. Jazz and blues came together to form a music we begin callin 'em, Jamz.
At this time all the blues legends had played on the corner of Maxwell St. in Jew Town, for free. Eddie Harris came out with, Exodus to Jazz and we slowed our movements to what you today, call Smooth Steppin, we called the Cool Bop (1958-1960?) (south siders called Off-Time).
Oh, Yea! The Latin Beat produced that off-time. When Motown came on the scene the first Stepper's national anthem was, "My Baby Loves Me" by Martha and the Vandellas . Smokey, the Tempts, Mary Wells, Marvelettes give us some "the best music of our lives". A new step came from an unlikely source the county jail, we called this step the Jailhouse Bop (1959-1960). Today, you call it Freestyle, it is characterized by the swivelin of the heels.
We incorporated this move into our Gouster's Bop a fast paced step. Jamz like "Quicksand & LiveWire & Johnny Come Marchin' Home & Gotta Dance to Keep from Cryin' (Smokey Robinson) , etc... made it an excellence vehicle to revive semi-Jitterbug moves.
Now, we come to the Viet Nam War era, unconscientiously or conscientious the black community was beginning to feel the lose of our young black men in the Nam. We slowed the Bop down to a post WWII dance called half-step, we called it Slow Bop. In numbers black people were only 3% of America and 30% of soldiers in the Viet Nam. After the media and CIA lied black didn't look at the news until a black reporter name Max Robinson was brought on bound.
Well, gotta go.. I'll hit ya later and tell you a story almost impossible to believe.
When ya' Step all ya'llz fine
(Editor's Note: Dates are all approximate as this is a personal recollection from a person who lived in this era. If you have exact dates, or personal recollections to add, please Click Here to share that information.)
* Information from Chicago Defender archive.

Unsubstantiated Information: The Cakewalk originated in Africa. All the ol' dances are just re-creations of African themes. That includes Steppin as well. The Walk is a African Circle Dance it's movement is counter-clockwise. Why the dance moves counter-clockwise is that our ancestors determined that the universe moves in a counter-clockwise direction. The true meanings I will tell you later. But, take this in, the Steps of the Cakewalk are the steps that produce our spirituals in the Ringshout. Our freedom songs," The Lord Delivered Daniel" etc...The Cakewalk is the same steps you see the choir move to in church, as they sway side to side or move in a procession down the aisle. Yet, the Cakewalk was developed as a special event. The best of cakes were offered as the prize. To white folk the antics of the Negro was aggregated to a caricature of Sambo. Yet, the true dignity of black culture was hidden in the cabins of blackfolk. (Ex. Check out the cover of Donald Byrd's album with Flight Time on it) and you will see a photo of the intimate Cakewalk Dance that we do now. That photo was taken shortly after emancipation. The Walk has a symbol of power, when the DJ. announces Steppers on the inside Walkers on the outside that is so the circle cannot be broken. The power is in the circle. Submitted By: Bopdaddy King of Bop

Calienda, Origin of the Cakewalk
The abuse of Afro-American history is legend. The Cakewalk stereotyped black life farther on the minstrel stage and is still considered the normal existence of black people. Gin drinkin. razor tuttin', child like behavior, without sexual restrict. Out in the cotton pickin field is where hoecakes were made, for lunch, cooked on the flat side of a gardening hoe, a small pancake made from cornmeal. At the Cakewalk Contest the best cakes where awarded. (It was like a $1,000 at the World's Largest. White America (w-----dia) has never dignified black culture enough. We as a people must make this effort to give us back our true Afro beauty. As long as America can find us on TV and laugh, just like Amos n' Andy it's fine. But, to define the beauty of ourselves and the beauty of our culture is to hot to handle. Because in this beauty we see, in Steppin' and Walkin' we may find that spark of unity we search our hearts for daily. But, as I mentioned earlier the romantic aspect of the Cakewalk had been undercover, because it could not have survived any other way. The Cakewalk was called the Calienda, in the 1700's. Taken from the Dances of Versailles; the French Promenade (walking side by side) and later, the Waltz (in closed position). But, before then Egyptians walked, to African drums, around in a counter-clockwise circle and made the signs of the zodiac with their hands. As I mentioned earlier, the circle has power, a gift of the ancestors, and the true meaning of the Walk symbolizes, "Harmony in nature amongst the chaos in the stars". The battle of the sexes rages on, yet, on the Stepper's dance floor do men and women have a mutual relationship with the music. Steppers are finally in harmony with the rhythm of Life. For your dance, Love Bopdaddy Submitted By: Bopdaddy King of Bop

The Ringshout and "set de' flo"
The Ringshout is African in origin. The Ring means circle and the Shout means to sing. So it looks like Ringshout means 'singing circle'. And the 2nd generation Africans sang in a circular procession while clapping and stompin the ground with bare feet. And according to observers the thud of hundreds of bare feet striking the earth could be heard for miles, in the night air. The African drum was literally thrown into the sea. The African drum was outlawed in all states but Louisiana. AfroAmerican developed syncopated rhythms to imitated the drum. The Ringshout was a group dance, that moved in a counter-clockwise direction, symbolizing the direction of the universe and from it came our most prized possessions the captive songs (Ol' Negro Spirituals). The deeply rooted sacred songs that gave a tortured people hope. They were called 'moanin' music'. These were carefully constructed Bible stories, sometimes when sung each one, modified told a different story. Sometimes, they were sung like "All My Children" on TV and of gossip. When sung again, it might have told Aunt Phillis or Uncle Joe to get ready for the chariot meaning the underground railroad, Harriet Tubman was "comin to pick you up to take you north." It told them what time, what place, and whether to bring a coat or not. And at the same time it gave 'em a savior. How else do you think they sent the message? And their captors could be standing right there and didn't know jack. In Africa, they put yo' business on the drum. In Virginia, they put yo' business on the banjo. In the deep south they put it in the songs of the Ringshout. The Stepper's DJ like Mello Kris put it on 'The Box' in a sense he is that master drum of the tribe. The Stepper's Beat is ancient an to prove my point Bopdaddy can Step to music of Coltrane to DoWops, in time. Bebop is much more difficult. And that's the music what they named the Bop Dance after. Love all ya'll steppers, Bopdaddy

The Gouster (A Personal recollection from Bopdaddy)
The radio legend Herb Kent, the Kool Gent helped push the concept, of Gouster and Ivy Leaguer. The Gouster phenomenon was much like the Flappers of the 20's and the Zoot Suiters or Jitterbugs of the 30's & 40's. Herb's radio show helped broaden and gave essence to the pop culture that was created. Herb's weekend Sets, at the Catholic Schools, gave Gousters a platform to dance their Gousters Bop (a fast paced ten-step dance). Each week a true Gouster went thru the ritual of preparing for the Set. The Gousters baggy pants had to have a crease so sharp you could cut butter with 'em. The Gousters clean white shirt, worn with suspenders, were so heavily starched it could stand-up by itself. Some shirts were colorful and they had extra long collars and coordinated with their outfit. Sometimes, Gousters spent half the night spit-shinin' their shoes until they shined to a mirror finish. You could see the stars at night twiklin' in yo' shoe. The hats of the Gousters Stetson and Barcellino and waxed beavers, with the gangster cross folded in. But, the real trademark of the Gouster was his Barracuda trench coat (like a baggy, belted London Fog except it came in any color, even iridescent. Our signature songs were, "Lookin for a Love" by the Contours, "Dear Lady Twist" by Gary U.S. Bonds. Plus, the signature dance was the 47th St. Strut. Yet, the dance they developed was the Gousters Bop. There was a step that came from an unlikely source the county jail and they called it the Jailhouse Bop. (it is characterized by the swivelin of the heels). Today, it's movement are called Freestyle. Also, the Gouster Gals had their own dress code as well. The Gouster phenomenon lasted 1961 - 1967. It's foreal- Bopdaddy

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