Before there were dance competitions, there were dance parties. And the biggest name in dance parties was American Bandstand. On August 5, 1957, American Bandstand made its network premier on ABC. Before that, it was a local Philadelphia television show. Believe it or not, it was a daily 90 minute live show until 1961! The daily format was scrapped in 1963 when it started airing on Saturday afternoons.
In the early days, there was a strict dress code and I remember seeing an interview with Dick Clark pointing out that a lot of the girls attended local Catholic schools and would go straight to the studio from school because the show started at 3:30. Teenage girls across the country started emulating the styles of their favorite dancers never realizing that the dancer was still in her school uniform! You could say that the Catholic school girl look became the rage because of American Bandstand.
I watched the show religiously growing up. I loved watching the dancers. I loved the Rate-a-Record segment. I loved the singers. But about the time “the bump” and disco came along, my fascination with the show waned and I stopped watching it. By the time the show finally ended in 1989, I had long been married and moved onto other interests.
Soapbox: While I understand that many of the girls were still wearing their school uniforms and Dick Clark required a suit and tie for the boys, I find it refreshing to see the teenagers dressing with a sense of decorum in the early years of the show. I’m around college students all of the time and I am dismayed by how slovenly so many of them look or how they don’t seem embarrassed at all to “show their wares” to the world. Sometimes I want to go up to a girl and say, “Yes, they’re lovely. All of the boys have had a gawk at them. You can put them away now.” And then these kids don’t understand why they aren’t being taken seriously by their peers or professors. I know I’ve harped on this before, but truly, personal appearance matters. It telegraphs a message on how you want to be treated by others. /Soapbox
Here is a “timeline” clip of dances featured on the show, narrated by Dick Clark himself:
Click here if player doesn’t work for you
I loved American Bandstand, especially the early daily programs. I would come home from school, turn on tv, and do my math assignment while listening / watching to American Bandstand. My mother often suggested I discontinue this practice and do my homework in quiet, but for as long as American Bandstand was on in the afternoons, I continued to study in front of television. My grades were always good; if it had been otherwise, I’m sure my mother would have forbidden instead of suggesting. Oddly, I mostly lost interest when the show went to the Saturday format.
My in-laws went to Catholic school in Philadelphia in the late 50′s and some of their lifelong friends were bandstand staples. Saturday night dances, and casual get togethers to play records and dance were such a part of the youth culture. There is no doubt in my mind that those teenagers had WAY more fun than teens today. I think it is so important to DO some kind of activity, rather than do whatever it is teens do today.
I LOVE dance, and I love to dance. I wish it were easier in our culture to dance. Living in Mexico, I loved to learn different couples dances – definately a part of the main strem culture ther – and even spending time in Austria – EVERYONE knows how to walz – they seriously do, no joke. I think people really do want to dance in the US, but feel some intimidation, and really just don’t know how. I must live in the worst area for dance – I bet the south is better. Dance is definately a subculture here – but you have to seek it out. I think in general people are definately getting more interested – when you see the teen dance movies out, and “dancing with the stars”, but I like accessible dance – an expression of FUN and participation!!!
On the Culteral Observation front – on cable access I can watch clubs in NJ where a huge dancefloor of people are doing variations of the “electric slide”, over and over to different songs – it must just fun to participate and get off the sidelines.
Ann — Through your comment I began to think about the days when youngsters were taught to dance and otherwise socialize through the watchful eyes of their teachers and parents. Although it was uncomfortable for many children, I’m sure much was gained for society as a whole through the learning of social grace. Ever since we put the children in charge, such life-lessons have gone away, including dancing.
Meanwhile, I think many of us are inhibited — uncomfortable with performance. I know I’m not comfortable dancing, but I would love to do it. In my community, dancing no longer exists unless at some western bar — or maybe the occasional wedding.
I think a lot of American Men really don’t feel comfortable dancing, and feel dancing is not masculine – I don’t know how this happened. Mexican men certainly think of themselves as Macho. I lived in TX as a child, and cotillian (sp) was still a big thing then (in the 80′s). Anyway, you need MEN to lead, so if they aren’t interested, no one’s dancing. Unfortunaly, my husband did not inherit the “bandstand gene”!!! He is not inhibited though, he just likes to do crazy disco style, but not couples dancing – my loss
During The War, my maternal grandmother learned to dance while my grandfather was oversees. On one hand, this was shocking because she was from a very conservative family but on the other, it opened up whole new worlds for them. When we got back, he learned how to dance and it became his lifelong passion. He was dancing well into his 90′s and you can be sure that he was quite popular with the ladies whose dance partners had passed away.
I keep trying to get The Mister into taking swing dance lessons but he is reluctant. Maybe in my spare time (ha-ha), I’ll just take them myself!
I grew up watching that, too!!! Such fun. I loved to catch a glimpse of the dark-haired girl with the silver streak in her hair. I mentioned that on my blog once, and got a comment from a fellow who used to dance on American Bandstand, and told me the name of that girl!! Yes, people dressed much nicer then. When you dress nicely, you tend to behave nicely, in general, because you have self-respect. I, too, went to Catholic school.
Hi Dr. J,
I also grew up with some afternoon teen TV during the 60′s–here in Southern California it was the “Lloyd Thaxton Show” and “9th Street West”. I would get paid 10 cents (hey, where’s the ‘cent’ icon on this computer?) per item that I ironed for my mom. In Jr. High, ‘everyone’ took the local cotillion dance class in the auditorium. We learned many dance steps and social customs, dressing nicely each week (it was the ‘Mad Men’ era). The insanity of the later 60′s came fast and we never did get to use those dance skills in high school. I can still do the ‘Charleston’, ‘Fox Trot, and others. It comes in handy at the oddest moments.
Jen, I remember the Lloyd Thaxton Show and the “sit down” dances (not lap-dancing, lol), where the dancers sat in their straight-backed chairs and “danced” in the chair! Remember that?