Big Apple (dance) facts for kids

The Big Apple is a fun and energetic dance that started in the early 1900s. It was created by African American communities in the United States. It can be danced by partners or in a circle, making it a lively group activity.

The Big Apple Dance

How the Big Apple Dance Started

The exact beginning of the Big Apple dance isn't fully clear. Some people think it came from an older group dance called the "ring shout." This dance was done by African Americans on plantations in South Carolina and Georgia before 1860. The ring shout involved dancing in a circle, moving counter-clockwise, and using big arm movements. These movements were similar to what you see in the Big Apple dance.

The dance we know as the Big Apple likely began in the early 1930s. Young African Americans danced at a place called the Big Apple Club in Columbia, South Carolina. This club used to be a synagogue, but it became a lively spot for music and dancing, often called a "juke joint."

In 1936, three white students from the University of South Carolina heard music from the club. Even though it was unusual for white people to go into a Black club back then, they asked to enter. The club owner, Frank "Fat Sam" Boyd, let them in. They had to pay 25 cents each and sit in the balcony. Over the next few months, more white students came to watch the dancers. They loved the dance so much that they would throw coins down to the dancers to keep the music playing!

The white students started calling the dance the "Big Apple" because of the club's name. One student, Harold E. Ross, said they tried to copy the steps. They called their version the "Little Apple" because they didn't feel they should fully copy the original "Big Apple" dance.

The Dance Spreads Across the Country

From South Carolina to New York

In the summer of 1937, students from the University of South Carolina began dancing the Big Apple at Myrtle Beach. A dancer named Betty Wood saw it there. Six months later, she won a dance contest and became known as "Big Apple Betty."

News of this exciting new dance reached New York City. A talent agent named Gae Foster traveled to the Carolinas to find dancers for a show. She chose eight couples, including Betty Wood, to perform the Big Apple at the Roxy Theater in New York. This was a huge theater! They performed six shows a day for three weeks, and the shows were always full. This helped the dance become super popular. After this, the group toured the country as "Billy Spivey's Big Apple Dancers."

The Dance Spreads Even More

Arthur Murray, a famous dance teacher, saw the Big Apple dancers in New York. He quickly added the Big Apple to his dance lessons. Because the Big Apple and other dances like the Conga were so popular, Arthur Murray started opening dance studios in many cities. By 1938, his studios were in places like Detroit, Cleveland, and Atlanta. His company grew to over 200 dance studios around the world!

At the same time, a famous Lindy Hop dance group called Whitey's Lindy Hoppers was in Hollywood, California. Their manager, Herbert "Whitey" White, sent a telegram to their lead dancer, Frankie Manning, about the new Big Apple craze. Frankie Manning had never seen the dance. But based on the description, he created a Big Apple routine for the group. They already knew many jazz steps like Truckin' and the Suzie-Q, so they learned it quickly. They performed their Big Apple routine for a movie called Everybody Sing, but that scene was later cut.

When the group returned to Harlem, Frankie Manning taught his version of the Big Apple to other dancers. Whitey's Lindy Hoppers danced the Big Apple mixed with Lindy Hop at the Savoy Ballroom. Later, in 1939, they performed a Big Apple scene for the movie Keep Punching. This movie scene has been copied by Lindy Hop groups ever since!

By the end of 1937, the Big Apple was a national dance craze. Life magazine even featured the dance in a big photo story. They predicted that 1937 would be remembered as the year of the Big Apple.

Why the Dance Became Less Popular

The Big Apple dance became popular all over the world by 1939. Some people even say that British Prime Minister Winston Churchill tried the dance! However, some think that when older people started doing the dance, it became less cool for younger dancers. Also, another dance called the Jitterbug was becoming very popular. By 1941, the Big Apple was a past trend, replaced by the Jitterbug.

Bringing the Dance Back!

In the 1980s, Lance Benishek and Betty Wood (the "Big Apple Betty" from before!) started traveling. They taught the Big Apple dance across the US and Europe. In 1988, the 50th anniversary of the dance was celebrated in Columbia, South Carolina, right where it all began!

Other Dances Like the Big Apple

The Big Apple shares many things with other African American dances from the early 1900s. Dances like the Cakewalk, Black Bottom, Charleston, and Lindy Hop all have similar moves and a fun, freestyle spirit.

Cool Dance Moves!

Many Big Apple moves are also used in Lindy Hop. They often start on the eighth count of the music. Here are a few examples:

• Susie Q: This move involves twisting your heels and stepping out, often moving sideways.
• Apple Jacks: You take tiny steps in place, crossing your knees and twisting your hips and shoulders in opposite directions.
• Spank the Baby: You step with one foot, bring the other foot together, and make a "spanking" motion towards your own behind with one hand. This is done while walking in a circle.
• Tick Tock: You shift your weight from heels to toes, moving sideways, while your forearms swing in front of you like a clock pendulum.
• Truckin': This is a shuffling step where you hold one hand up like a turn signal. Your feet stay parallel as you scoop and brush the floor.
• Shorty George: You walk in a straight line with very small steps, bending your knees a lot. Your knees shift from side to side with each step.
• Boogie Back: You lean forward, bend your knees, clap your hands, and hop backward.
• Boogie Forward: You straighten up, throw your hands in the air, and roll your hips with each step forward.
• Praises: This is a traditional ending for the Big Apple. Everyone runs to the center of the circle, shouts "Hallelujah," and throws their hands in the air!