Have you heard of the term, Forbidden dance? Do you know how these dances have affected the current dancing scene? I will be writing about the most popular Forbidden dances that have influenced dances throughout the past two centuries. This report will be concentrating on dances that have been devised or developed in Western Europe and have influenced dances that we do in the United States. Before we begin, let me ask another question, What are Forbidden dances and have you unknowingly danced one? The term Forbidden dance refers to dances that have caused a lot of social concern either morally or ethically when they were first danced. If you asked someone, what was the first Forbidden dance they would probably answer the Tango or the Argentine Tango.I am sorry to say the Tango was not the first Forbidden dance. Let’s explore the realm of the Forbidden dance, together. In Western Europe, two dances that were popular and made a radical departure from dances of the Renaissance Period were the Allemande and the Minuet. These dances were danced by members of the upper class and court society and were extremely popular before the 1800’s. The Allemande was danced in long lines with men facing women. When the music began, the two lines would move forward and back, the dancers could circle each other and dance up and down the dance set with subtle glances, not staring or making any type of physical contact, except with the eyes. The Minuet was danced in a square or rectangle set. The Minuet was considered a very stately, elegant and formal dance. Again, when dancing , no touching was allowed, if touching was permissible it was done only with each others finger tips. The Allemande and the Minuet were thought of as proper dances and were morally correct. At the turn of the century or the early 1800’s a new and daring dance burst onto the scene, it was the Waltz. The Waltz, in Austria and Bavaria, started out as pheasant dances. These dances were rough and rowdy, danced outside and not elegant and refined as the Waltz is today. It was soon noted that these pheasants were touching or holding each other while doing the Waltz. This was totally unacceptable by the Clergy, Community Leaders and the Upper Class. The Waltz was branded as scandalous, immoral and must have been inspired or devised by the devil himself. When the dance became refined and suitable, the Waltz moved into large dance halls. The Waltz gained respect and by 1819 the inappropriateness of the Waltz was forgotten and it was enjoyed by all. Yes, the Waltz was one of the first Forbidden dances. The Tango or the Argentine Tango was considered to be a Forbidden dance and introduced to the dancing scene in the 1890’s. The origin of the Tango was traced back to the early Europeans that migrated to Buenos Aires. The Tango is considered to be a mixed dance, since it was influenced by the Europeans and Ancient African dance forms. The Tango was a very popular in the 1890’s usually performed by pheasants living in the working slums which housed thousands of immigrants. In the 1900’s the Tango became the dance craze in Paris, France and by 1913 was danced in Finland and the United States. The Tango was classified as a Forbidden dance because of the closeness of the dance partners while performing the dance. In the Tango, the partners touch each others arms, legs, stomach and crotch. It is as if the dances are glued together. Interesting how sentiments about dances change, today this dance is popular world wide, is taught in most dance classes and is included in professional and competitive dancing. The Charleston is another Forbidden dance that grew out of the early 1900’s and was adopted by the Prohibition Era. This dance was thought to have originated by the blacks that lived on small islands near Charleston, South Carolina. When people started to become aware of the Charleston in 1903, it was popularized by outward heel kicks and rapid up and down movements. At first, this looked like an awkward dance but by 1913, the Charleston caught on and was performed on Harlem Stage Shows. When the Charleston was featured in the musical, "Running Wild," it really caught the publics attention and the rest is history. The Charleston grew out of the restlessness of the 1920’s and by the "jazz-age flappers." The dance went on to become a popular favorite across the United States and is still being danced and performed, today. Remember the "jitterbug?" This dance became very popular in the 1930’s and one observer noted, people are "jumping around, cutting loose and going crazy." The term "jitterbug" is a slang term used in the 1930’s to identify people who where recovering alcoholics and suffering from the "jitters." The popular band leader who first used the term to define what people were doing was Cab Calloway. He said, "They look like a bunch of "jitterbugs" out on the dance floor." The "jitterbug" was also a very popular dance during the Second World War in Europe. In 1947, the Lindy Hop became the most favorite dance and by 1959 the term Swing replaced the other dance terms, like "jitterbug," Lindy Hop, Jive and East Coast Swing. All of those dances were thought of as one dance, the Swing. Do you remember when the "jitterbug" was performed to early rock and roll music? The Swing is still going strong and made a major come back in the 1990’s and is still a very popular dance. Yes, at the time the "jitterbug" was also thought of as a Forbidden dance with all the so called, crazy dance moves. At the time, It was totally different from any dance that preceded it. Another dance that was defined as a Forbidden dance was the Lambada. This was a fun dance to watch, it was similar to Flamenco style dancing. While the women is dancing in the center, the male is circling around her and watching as she is lifting and flapping her skirt, revealing her underneath garments. As the dance progresses, the dancers bump their hips and sometime their pelvis together. This is one reason why the Lambada was described as the "pelvic slam." The dance became very popular in the 1980’s and was danced to by Brazilian type music. Some say the Lambada originated in Brazil but there are many that dispute that claim but the dance did go on to become internationally famous. The Lambada really made a hit, in the 1990’s by the release of two well known films, "The Forbidden Dance," and the "Lambada," both films were rated PG 13. By 1994, the Lambada had faded away and replaced by two dances, currently known as the Zouk and the Kizomba. Neither dance quite resembles the Lambada, that is how quickly the dance changed in a short period of time. I would be amiss if I did not mention another Forbidden dance that came into being in the 1980’s. This dance was the "Dirty Boogie," which was made famous by another film, "Dirty Dancing." Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Jones were the principal dancers in this film. As you may recall, this film takes place in the 1960’s in a small Catskill resort called "Kellerman’s." The film is centered on a sweet, young teenager that was referred to as her daddy’s little girl. The handsome dance instructor was Patrick Swayze who took advantage of the seventeen year girl by teaching her different types of sexy dance moves and one being the "Dirty Boogie." Of course there was a scene in the movie showing all the teenagers and young adults doing the "Dirty Boogie." Many of the dance moves in the "Dirty Boogie," resembled movements featured in the movie, "Lambada." These movements were acting out sexual pleasure on the dance floor. It does not appear that the Lambada or the Dirty Boogie made much of an impact on the dance floor, maybe that was the sign of the times. As you can see, there have been many different types of dances that have been classified as Forbidden dances. These dances came out of improvised and isolated societies, by the young people that were living in these lower class neighborhoods. The dances probably grew out of the necessity to cope with hopelessness they found themselves in while living in these deprived neighborhoods. Maybe the Forbidden dance was a way to liberate their souls while living in intolerable social conditions. Many of these dances have created an excitement, a spark of creative expression which has influenced our dances, today! If you are interested in an update about the latest, current Forbidden teenage dance that is influencing immoral behavior and freaking out High School Principal‘s and parents please visit my website on dancing at: www.joyusdancing.com.