Rockabilly Dancers Coming To Town

[Roulette]

I've read this topic with great interest! I'm with cat on this topic, I've known her for 20 odd years, and was around in the 80's during the 'revival'. When I first learnt to dance it wasn't called anything, it was just what you danced with a partner to rock n roll! The girls did the 5 step on their own, and the boys did the bop. Have some great footage of it from my 21st (cat you were there!) and Pete from the flying tigers (who were my party band!) jumped over the foldback in the middle of the song & joined in!!
My point is mainly, (this is just an opinion so don't crucify me) that some of the originality that comes with doing something we love is lost when we complicate it with 'rules'. I used to do comp dancing, my partner & I did a combo of 'pub rock' & 'jive' and did well! Everyone just danced together regardless of their 'style'.
I also agree that their are different 'crowds' now, my daughter sings with a couple of bands, and while both rockabilly & rock n roll crowds love her, the r&r people are more reserved, & more likely to come up later & talk to her, where as the rockabilly people are more vocal & bring the house down with their support! She says it eggs her on & makes her perform better!
There is room for us all, regardless of which style we are, what is most important is preserving the culture & music for the next generation!! We are so lucky to be a part of this scene!

[Jiver J]

We are so lucky to have a rock and roll site like Vic Rock where we can air our opinion about the past, present and future of rock and roll. We have all had different experiences, but what`s truly great is that no matter where we are from or how old we are, we all love rock and roll. Who would have thought this would be the case in 2009.

Jazza you certainly do have quite a bit of knowledge of the rock and roll scene. We did miss the boat a bit with rockabilly dancing and music, and Australian traditonal rock and roll dancing was unlike any other, except perhaps New Zealand. The capital of Rockabilly music and dancing has always been the UK as far as I`m concerned. America is into it, but also into Lindy Hop, Boogie woogie, Hillbilly and Country & Western. You did ask why do some bands like to record their stuff in the old Mono sound. Yes it`s true it is big overseas, a great example of this is Kitty, Daisy & Lewis from the U.K who have set up their recording studio with vintage sound equipment. But you know what, I just love their sound, so raw and refreshing, just like the early days. I`m not knocking our own rockabilly bands as I love them all, but I do like that old vintage sound too. I play a lot of my records on an old retro Hi Fi. But I`m like a lot of rockabilly followers and the moment I hear that double bass I`m gone. It really is all about the music, the dancing is only the follow on. When Swing music was played you danced swing, rock and roll music you danced rock and roll, Surf music you stomped, Disco music you danced disco. I`m just glad that partner dancing is back in one form or another, and through dance classes or whatever people are digging this great music. Long live rock and roll !!

[Briancanrock]

I was 8 years old when I learnt to dance rock and roll. It was taught to me, unwillingly I might add, By my two older sisters, the elder one was a widgy, simply because I was the only male available.
In 1956, Elvis Presly had two records released and was banned world wide,
To this day I still dance the same way. Its only in the last year or so, that I have found out that I dance pub rock, We all did it the same way back then,
Swing rock came out of the forties and big band era, same as the black and white shoes. I used to watch it on Tee Vee in 1956, same as 6 oclock rock,
Jitterbug was in the early 50's and rock and roll evolved out of that, and if Elvis wasn't banned, rock and roll probably would not have made it at all. It would have gone straight to the Mods with the Beatles.
And yes, we had no room to dance in, a postage stamp is all we had, and you would be bumping every one all night long, smile and say sorry. we all did it, with no offence ever taken, and the girls did ask the blokes to dance,
As a teenager, I was a rocker, and an OMG member, Tight T shirt, Tight pegged jeans, white socks, Marlon Brando style Leather Jacket extended pointy toed shoes with cuban heels and a studded belt, which at the time was considered a lethal weapon by the law. Brush back hair do with spadula or crew cut. we all dressed the same. and chased the dance Jailhouse Rock all over Melbourne, no DJ's they had a couple of bands on that played all night.There was also Jazza's and Mods, later came the Sharpies,
I am now 61, I lived through it all and loved every minute of it all.
I am still the same as I was back then. Just missing the hair, hahahaha
Cheers,
Brian.

[tezza]

hi there!i cant offer much on how?to dance rockabilly,or where it evolved from,but?lots of interesting reading here,and good info to store in mind...and,i cant help but notice?we are starting to creep away from the original topic,back to rock and roll?tons and tons of that scene in our libraries,more on rockabilly please...tezza.

[Dogsby Hocks]

Music is art and art is always about individual opinion,who cares about all this stuff about what is what and whats authentic and who does what etc?Everyone is missing the point like usual,its all about having a good time and doing what you enjoy and thats really it.

[longgonebaby]

Art IS about individual opinion. And all the individuals who have contributed their opinions to this thread which has now covered three pages care about what's what and who does what and what is or was authentic.

All have agreed that it's about enjoying the music. Music came first, dance followed.

I'd say no-one has missed the point and we're all generally in agreement. This thread has been fun!

That's just my individual humble opinion, of course.

[Jiver J]

Thanks Longgonebaby. I think I like you. It has been fun .Thanks Jittabug once again for making us think about such an enjoyable topic- this time Rockabilly. And thank you Vicrock .