Dansen Black bottom

I Herräng 1995 under andra veckan (vecka 29) lärde Lance Benishek från USA ut dansen Black bottom. I likhet med andra nittonhundratjugotalsdanser gick den i långsamt tempo -- runt 15 eller 20 takter i minuten i 4/4 takt -- men koms ihåg som snabb eftersom några shower på femtiotalet kom att visa upp den i ordentligt uppsnabbade versioner. Lance lärde ut i orginalhastighet.

Allt om dansen är inte känt, en del steg känner man till, andra är säkert borttappade.

Vi fick lära oss några olika steg i en slinga där vi gick runt i en ring. Senare fick vi praktisera pardans där vi använde de lärda stegen.

Slingan såg ut som följer, tyvärr antecknade jag inte vad låten som vi övade till hette. Slingan gick precis jämt ut med den låten, och med ett litet tillägg även med en annan låt, ej heller den är antecknad.

Black bottom, Lance utlärningsslinga

• Mess around under de första åtta taktslagen.
• 3 × "Elephant walk" (what was it really called?): left foot forward, right foot forward, left forward; turning 180 degrees every step while keeping hands on knees.
• 2 × Camel walk while keeping hands on knees: left foot forward in heel up position while sliding in right foot under left foor, repeat.
• 3 × "Elephant walk": left, right, left.
• 2 × Camel walk while straighten up, lifting up the arms in the air, and shaking the hands.
• 4 × Double steps: left, right, left, right with arms in the air.
• 4 × Single steps: left, right, left, right with arms in the air.
• 4 × Double basics: left, left, right, right while slapping rotating hip.
• 8 × Single basics: 4 × left, 4 × right while slapping rotating hip.
• Cross over: right, left, right, right; left, right, left, left.
• Twist: heel left, right, left, right, left, right, left, right while slowing lifting arms from very low to high position and shaking the hands all the time.
• 2 × Foot stomp: left foot, right foot where foot stomps (taps) three times and takes weight the fourth time.
• 4 × Ann Pennington steps: left, right, left, right.
• 2 × Shuffles.
• Floor.
• Shoulder shimmy.


• 4 × Double steps: left, right, left, right with arms in the air.
• 4 × Single steps: left, right, left, right with arms in the air.
• 4 × Double basics: left, left, right, right while slapping rotating hip.
• 8 × Single basics: 4 × left, 4 × right while slapping rotating hip.
• Cross over: right, left, right, right; left, right, left, left.
• Twist: heel left, right, left, right, left, right, left, right while slowing lifting arms from very low to high position and shaking the hands all the time.
• 2 × Foot stomp: left foot, right foot where foot stomps (taps) three times and takes weight the fourth time.
• 4 × Ann Pennington steps: left, right, left, right.
• 2 × Shuffles.
• Floor.
• Shoulder shimmy.


• 4 × Down unders: weight on left foot, right, left, right; hands on knees, relaxed shoulders to make them bop.
• 4 × Kicks: weight on left foot, right, left, right; arms in air, shaking hands; knees high, foot swinging from butt to almost streched out leg.
• 4 × Down unders: weight on left, right, left, right while rotating 360 degrees counter clockwise.
• 4 × Kicks: left, right, left, right.
• 4 × Ann Penningtons: left, right, left, right.
• 2 × Shuffles.
• Floor.
• Shoulder shimmy.

Normally, this would match the end of the tune; if not then continue by repeating the following

• 4 × Ann Penningtons: left, right, left, right.
• 2 × Shuffles.
• Floor.
• Shoulder shimmy.

[Skrivet 950724 och HTML-iserat 970122 av Klaus Zeuge]