The Bop - Part 4

Ah, the bop returns! I’ve missed it, haven’t you? When I went over today’s installment I was shocked to find that I actually recognized the moves! “The Chase” and “The Spinner” both have been co-opted into ballroom’s East Coast Swing. It’s a good thing, too – If I relied on the written instructions given here, I’m not sure I’d ever have learned them. Dance is a living thing and to be understood it should be experienced, not read about. The “Do the Bop” insert in Conniff’s album, no doubt, has less to do with the living dance than with Ray trying to cabbage onto an image he couldn’t possibly possess and probably had no interest in. But we should get back to the insert!

At the top there are the remains of last time’s post. Walking the Bop I believe – still too silly to even consider. Actually, I think these first pictures are a simple underarm turn. The EC Swing underarm turn closely resembles what’s shown here. Then again I think most underarm turns are very similar.

We move on to the chase. Is it me or do our dancers look less than enthused about this move? They kind of look like they’re phoning it in. Our lovely lady looks like she doesn’t really want to touch Buzz who, in turn, looks like he’s got some evil plan in mind. Still, the move is totally familiar from the EC Swing.

By the time you get to the Spinner dear Buzz looks like a poor imitation of Rain Man. He’s cantering over sideways and grinning like an idiot. Maybe he’s medicated. Maybe they got him out of the asylum just long enough for the photo shoot. Or maybe he’s destined for the asylum after the shoot.