Dance History at a Glance

(Standardized Ballroom Dancing not included)
*Check "Dances' History Intertwined" to see how Social Dances were developed*

PEOPLE
DANCES
SHOWS
INNOVATIONS & EVENTS
1800s

Cakewalk
Minstrel shows
Fugitive Slave Act of 1859
Black spiritual music
1900s

Eagle Rock
Slow Drag
Buzzard's Lope
Buck-and-wing
Vaudeville

1910s
Vernon and Irene Castle
One-step dances
Castle walk
Fox-trot
The Shuffle
Snake Hips
Funky Butt
The Big Apple

World War I
Record players
1920s
Josephine Baker
Bill 'Bojangles'
Robinson
Charleston
Black Bottom
Shuffle Along
Runnin' Wild
Dixieland Jazz
1930s
Duke Ellington
Louis Armstrong
Busby Berkeley
Fred Astaire
Ginger Rogers
George Balanchine
Jitterbug
Boogie-woogie
Lindy-hop
42nd Street
Flying Down to Rio
On Your Toes
Big bands
Savoy Ballroom
The Depression
Dance marathons
1940s
Agnes de Mille
Jerome Robbins
Gene Kelly
Jack Cole
Katherine Dunham

Oklahoma!
On the Town
Fancy Free
Pal Joey
Anchors Away
Cabin in the Sky
World War II
1950s
Michael Kidd
Matt Mattox
Elvis Presley
Cyd Charisse
Debbie Reynolds
Alvin Ailey
Rock and roll
Rock and roll group dances
The Madison
The Birdland
The Bop
Locomotion
Mashed Potato
The Chicken
An American in Paris
Seveen Brides for Seven Brothers
Guys and Dolls
Singin' in the Rain
West Side Story
Korean War
Pimp Walk
Rock and roll music
American Bandstand
Soul Train
1960s
Chubby Checker
The Beatles
Luigi
Gus Giordano
Don Campbell
The Twist
Line dances
The Stroll
The Hustle
Campbellock
Cabaret
Sweet Charity
Motown
TV variety shows featuring dance
Discotheques
Psychedelic era
Hippies
1970s
Michael Bennet
Bob Fosse
John Travolta
The Lockers
Disco dance
Locking
Breaking
Electric Boogaloo
The Good Foot
Grease
A Chorus Line
Cabaret (film)
Pippin
All That Jazz
Dancin'
Saturday Night Fever
The Wiz
Aerobic dance
Dance Theater of Harlem
Hubbard Street
Dance Chicago
1980s
Andrew Lloyd
Webber
Michael Jackon
Joe Tremaine
The Moonwalk
The Wap
Running Man
Roger Rabbit
Robocop
Cats
Fame
Flashdance
That's Dancin'
MTV
Thriller”
Beat It”
Billie Jean”
1990s
Tommy Tune
Ann Reinking
Hip-hop
New School
Guys and Dolls
Crazy for You
Tommy
Showboat
Damn Yankees
Rent
Fosse
Dance competitions
2000s
Sussan Stroman

Contact
Oklahoma!
Thoroughly Modern
Millie
Hairspray
Center Stage
Chicago