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  • Wendy Stevenson November 4, 2012 at 12:50pm

    I find it shocking that the United States Government went so far as to hire choreographers to design dances that kept dancers apart.  There really must have been public outrage over the style of couples dancing that were happening.  I guess there was if someone called Swing Dancing musical Hitlerism.  So, it seems that anyone doing those dances at the time, was really rebelling.  This discussion makes me think about the movie Footloose because the whole plot is based around how music and dance are evil, and were outlawed in a specific town because of a drunk driving accident that happened years before after a dance.  I had never heard of White Cover songs, but am not surprised that this happened.  It would be interesting to actually see how often it did happen.

  • Pamela Helmich November 4, 2012 at 12:50pm

    So much happening in this era.  I love that the government came up with Animal dances to combat "Hitlerism".  That could lead to a good discussion with high school students.  Why did the government do this?  What was the need?  Does the government still do this? What does the government do today that is similar?


    The animal dances would just be plain fun for younger students.  What a great break. 

    Did not realize that the basic swing dance step was so simple. 

  • Matthew Crawford November 4, 2012 at 12:50pm

    This might be fun to teach as poetry--instead of the usual modern poems (or as a supplement to them), provide students with lyrics, listen to the songs, and analyze them instead.  There are probably also quite a few video clips from this era that could be integrated with the songs and lyrics. 

  • Rena Jane Witter November 4, 2012 at 12:49pm

    I was a teenager in this era.  This music and dance brings back so many, many memories, crazy, fun and painful.  It would be interesting to do analysis of some lyrics with high school students, juxtaposing the themes in songs with what was happening politically, socially and culturally at the time.  The unrest and insecurity of that era definitely was portrayed in the music, the beat, and the dance.

    The lyrics would open so many good opportunities for discussion and reflection on how this era influenced the one we live in now.  Some things are coming back, some just seem very dated, but they will probably cycle by again.

  • Alicia Weaver November 4, 2012 at 12:49pm

    These basic fun moves are ones that my students would love. I know these are the moves I enjoy busting out at different times when I get the chance. I already use freeze dance in my class (where you play music and they freeze when the music stops). I think we could do an activity when we freeze dance depending on the time period. This is a period that would easily be able to be adapted for this idea.

    I like how the music was used for expression and that is something I would want to portray to my students.

  • Chip Abolafia November 4, 2012 at 12:49pm

    Okay, I personally just love this period.  #1 song in 1966 was................? 

    Hint, not by the Beatles or Stones.

  • Sarah Lazare November 4, 2012 at 12:48pm

    The most interesting thing that I learned from this time period is the history behind Animal Dances.  As a primary teacher, I use these dances/moves all the time and I was so intrigued to find out the history behind them.  I want to know more about the Chicken dance and "The Chicken" dance since this is such a popular dance today and done in schools, weddings, community functions, etc.

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