Turkey Trot Controversial Form Of Dance

Turkey trot was a very dance belonging to the early 1900s. It was performed on the fast ragtime type of music which was prevalent in the years of 1900s to 1910s. One such example of this kind of music is the Maple Leaf Rag by Scott Joplin. However in the years after 1914, it faced serious competition from another form called the Foxtrot.

Turkey trot is performed in a fixed style by hopping four steps sideways with the feet kept well apart. It is done first with the help of one leg and then the other with a stunning rise on the ball of the foot which is preceded by dropping upon the heel. It is a form of dance which consists of flicks of the feet resembling that of a scissor and speedy trotting moves with stops that are often very sudden.

The dancers like John Jarrott and Louise Gruenning are considered to be the people responsible for making the Turkey trot extremely popular among the people. The other person who is also believed to have contributed to the popularity of this dance form was Grizzly Bear, who introduced it in the Ray Jones Cafй in Chicago, IL. This was around the year 1909. It further gathered fame through the efforts of Irene and Vernon Castle who did the Turkey Trot in the Broadway show called The Sunshine Girl.

Turkey trot later on gained a lot of publicity because of the Vatican Church who opposed this form of dance and found it to be devoid of any moral values and principles. They held the opinion that the postures of the dancers during the performance were objectionable. They were not acceptable and against the level of decency that should always be maintained. As a result many orthodox members of the society did put a stop to it, at publicly organized dances and ceremonies. This only helped it to gain all the more importance.

The dancers who were found doing the Turkey trot were punished by the law in terms of a fine being charged on them for misconduct reported by the news reports. Among many other examples there is the instance of fifteen working girls who were thrown out of their jobs accompanied with the song publisher namely Curtis Publishing of Philadelphia as the were found dancing. The fact that it was merely done during lunch break and hence was not that relevant was not considered at all.

Another means of combating the Turkey trot was a song that was released in 1913 called as the Anti-Ragtime Girl which stated …She dont do the Bunny Hug, nor dance the Grizzly Bear/ She hasn't learned the Turkey Trot /.. Wikipedia

Turkey Trot Controversial Form Of Dance