With the birth of Rock N' Roll and the baby boomin' youth, dance took on a completely new role in American society.
American Bandstand
Dick Clark with some of the original dancers.
In 1952, as most Americans lived comfortably with TV's in their homes, a local Philadelphia TV station aired Bandstand - a show that featured adolescents dancing to Top 40 hits. In 1957, the show was picked up on a national level by Dick Clark, who hosted the show, and changed it's name to American Bandstand. The show continued to air until 1989, featuring dances that were popular at the time.
The Twist
Though the song "The Twist" wasn't released until the 1960's, the official "twist" dance was very popular throughout the 1950's. A favorite among teenagers, the dance featured twisting movements of the hips while pivoting the feet.
The Hand Jive
The song "Willy and the Hand Jive" by Johnny Otis came out in 1958 and started one of the most unique dance crazes in history; In fact, the dance is performed sitting down and features a series of hand and arm movements. Once you are able to do the moves and repeat them, baby you can jive!
The Stroll
This dance was considered the "partnering dance" of the decade. Boys were on one side of the room while girls stood on the other making a pathway between the two. One by one, a girl would pair up with a boy and "stroll" side by side down the pathway the other dancers created.