The Hustle is a catchall name for many disco or nightclub partner social dances which were extremely popular in the 1970s. Today it mostly refers to a 3-count version of the New York Hustle, which itself was a catchall name.
Nowadays, there is only one form of Hustle which developed from the various other forms while the others died.
History
Based on older dances such as the mambo, the Hustle originated in Hispanic communities in New York City and Florida in the 1970s.
Van McCoy's song
A line dance which was called Hustle became an international dance craze in 1975 following Van McCoy and the Soul City Symphony's "Hustle". Tipped off by DJ David Todd, McCoy sent his partner Charlie Kipps to the Adam's Apple discotheque of New York City's East Side. McCoy wrote the tune and arrangement while watching a secrectary Kipps had noticed at the disco demonstrate the dance. The forthcoming album was renamed Disco Baby and McCoy was named "Top Instrumental Artist" of 1975. (Jones and Kantonen, 1999).
Depicted in Saturday Night Fever
By 1977, such as in the movie Saturday Night Fever, the Hustle was danced to disco music, and made the dance popular. Afterwards, different line dance and couple dance forms of the Hustle emerged, but also died quickly again because most of the hype was created by the movie.
Sources
- Jones, Alan and Kantonen, Jussi (1999). Saturday Night Forever: The Story of Disco. Chicago, Illinois: A Cappella Books. ISBN 1556524110.
- Lustgarten, Karen (1978). The Complete Guide to Disco Dancing: The Easy Step-By-Step Way to Learn Today's Top Dances. United States: Warner Books.
References for historic Hustle styles
- Harris, et al, eds. Social Dance: From Dance A While. Boston: Allyn and Bacon, 1998. ISBN 0205274773
- Kilbride, Ann T. and Algoso, A. The Complete Book on Disco and Ballroom Dancing. Los Alamitos, CA.: Hwong Publishing Company, 1979. ISBN 0892601507
Video clips
External links
