Figure 1.--These American children in1907 are demonstrating some of what they learned in ballroom dancing dance classes. The girl is presumably wearing the outfit she wore to dance class. We are less sure about the boy.

We see American boys involved in various fprms of dance programs. One of the most popular was tap dancing. Tap dancing was popularized by Shirley Temple in the 1930s. Ballet was less popular in America than Europe. There was a stigma among many boys attached to dancing, especially ballet. That is not as strong today, but does still exist. Some mothers enrolled boys in modern dancing classes during the early-20th century. Boys also did ethnic dancing, including German, Greek, Irish, Native American, Scottish, and others. Irish step dancing was one of the most popular of these ethnic programs and 'River Dance' helped to popularize it in the 1990s. Native Americans perfored traditional dances at pow-wows. Some Scout programs promoted Indian lore and dancing. Many children learned Werstern folk dancing in school. Teenagers enjoyed the many popular social dances that appeared throughout the 20th century. Currently there is a revival of tap dancing as well as break dancing. Some boys enjoy ball room dancing. And Disney through 'High School Musical' and helped to popularize performance dancing.

Ballroom Dancing

Ballroom dancing, a form of partner dancing, had its origuns in Europe and America until the 20th century basically just followed the European trends. There were various forms of folk dancing, but European ballroom dancing is what dominted American dance floors and partner dancing into the 20th century. Then new dance forms became popular, in part becuse of new musical forms. This began with the Tango which arrivded from Argentina. Then began jazz began to become popular in mainstream America. The first truly American form of couples dancing was the Fox Trot which emerged from Rag Time music. After World War I, jazz became an important part of the Roaring Twenties. New dance forms appeared. the music and dances were loosely called 'Swing'. The driving force for these new dances was jazz. This was a musical form emerging from the African American community. The specific trendy dances were fast pased and bouncier: the Charleston, Lindy Hop, and Shag. The rising American industrial economy comtinued to raise American incomes and affluence. All this prosperity meant that there were many families that had risen drom very limited circumstances to the prospeous middle classes. Wealthy families also ensured that their children acquire what might be loosesly called 'culture' and tis included manners and dancing. So the rising middle class wanted the same for their children. This certainly did not mean Swing dances. Mothers wanted culture, not bounce. Mist mothers thought that their boys had quite enough bounce to begin with. The Swing dances were seen by many as not only the opposities of culture, but distastefully risque. What mothers wanted was sedate ballroom culture for their children. This generally meant dressing the children up in their party clothes and sending them off to dancing lessons. This usully mean grade school children who unlike the teenagers ewere below the age of resistance and had no interest in Swing. This was all fine with the girls who loved the idea. The boys were much less interested. This merited an episode in Booth Tarkington's Perod Schofield series. This did not mean that ballroom dancing disappeared. New forms of ballroom dancing appeard and accomplished dancers becoming big-time Hollywoods stars (1930s). Fred Astarie and Ginger Rogers were surely the most famed dance tem of all time. A good exmple of the dancing classes for children was the De Rham studio in New York. This basic dynamic contnued into the 1960s, after which patner dancing became increasingly free form.

Ballet Dancing

Ballet is a virtual rite of passage for the Americam girl. Large numbers of girls take ballet and other dancing lessons. Such is not the case for boys. Ballet has been less popular in America than Europe. There was a stigma among many boys attached to dancing, especially ballet. Some boys are interested, but too shy to participate fearing what their friends might say. There are, however, some boys that are enchanted by ballet. Often they participate secretly, embarassed by what their friends might say. Some boys have written books about their experiences. One boy wrote a photo essay in 1982. Another boy in 1998 wrote a book about his experiences. Others begin at an early age, but report tremenndous pressure from their piers in pree-teen and early teen years. Many see it as not worth the hassle and drop out. The ballet stigma is not as strong today, but does still exist.

Break Dancing

Teenagers enjoyed the many popular social dances that appeared throughout the 20th century. Currently there is a revival of tap dancing as well as break dancing.

German Dancing

Germans were the most important European immigrant group. Thus you see German-Americand doing German folk dances during Octoberfest.

Irish Step Dancing

Boys also did ethnic dancing. Irish step dancing was one of the most popular of these ethnic programs. We see becoming increasingly bpopular after Wold War II as the Itish comminity bcame increasingly maunstrean abd successful as poart of the 1950s Posdt-War Boom. This began an inreasing interest in 2d abd 3rd genrarion Americns in their ethni roots. 'River Dance' helped to popularize Itush Dncing outside of the Irish commujity it in the 1990s. It also affected the cistuming for the fancung wityh kilts for the boys going out of style.

Modern Dance

Some mothers enrolled boys in modern dancing classes during the early-20th century.

Native American Dance

Native Americans perfored traditional dances at pow-wows. Some Scout programs promoted Indian lore and dancing.

Performance Dancing

Disney through 'High School Musical' and helped to popularize performsnce dancing. Performance Dancing

Scottish Highland Dancing

Tap Dancing

One of the most popular dance programs for boys was tap dancing. Tap dancing was popularized by Shirley Temple in the 1930s.

Western Square Dancing

Many children learned Werstern folk dancing in school. I can recall squaredning in thegym during the 1950s.

Created: 8:02 AM 8/27/2010
Last updated: 3:29 PM 7/13/2022