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This section is for personal accounts of history as the people who
were there remember it. Please share your personal recollections of
sets, contests, or any event you remember. Be a witness to history.
Please include dates if possible, at least approximate timeframes
please. Click here to submit
your memory. 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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