Bunny hop (dance)
Encyclopedia
The bunny hop is a novelty dance that was created at Balboa High School of San Francisco in 1952. It is a social
mixer dance
, sometimes also referred to as a "party" or "dance party" dance.
The dance
has been generally done to Ray Anthony
's big band
recording of the song
. It was a vocal hit in 1952, and instrumentally re-recorded c. 1958. The song has been re-recorded by others, including musical updates of the style, for example, a Salsa version. Duke Ellington
recorded "Bunny Hop Mambo" in 1954. Other popular music of the era is also used, such as "The Glow Worm."
Ray Anthony's single
release of the "Bunny Hop" featured another novelty dance classic, the "Hokey Pokey
" on the B side.
. Participants dance in a line, holding on to the hips of the person in front of them. They tap the floor two times with their right foot, then with their left foot, then they hop forwards, backwards, and finally three hops forward to finish the sequence, which continues throughout the tune. The first person in the line leads the group around the floor.
The Finnish dance style called "Jenka" has essentially the same steps. Originating from the 19th century, jenka is actually the same dance style as the German slow tempo polka called schottische or rheinländer. It is characterised by three quick steps and a hop and is danced to music in 2/4 time. Finnjenka, also known as letkajenkka and letkis, is one of the many variations of jenka. Typical to it is that all the people dancing form a line and hold on to the one in front by the waist.
episode "The one in Massapequa", guest star Alec Baldwin
asks Phoebe if she wants to do the Bunny Hop in Monica's parents anniversary party.
In the The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air
episode "Fresh Prince After Dark", Carlton is seen doing the Bunny Hop at the Playboy Mansion.
Cave Story uses the Jenka music
Social dance
Social dance is a major category or classification of danceforms or dance styles, where sociability and socializing are the primary focuses of the dancing...
mixer dance
Mixer dance
A mixer dance, dance mixer or simply mixer is a kind of participation dance in a social dance setting that involves changing partners as an integral part. Mixing can be built into the dance choreography or can be structured to occur more randomly. Mixers allow dancers to meet new partners and allow...
, sometimes also referred to as a "party" or "dance party" dance.
The dance
Dance
Dance is an art form that generally refers to movement of the body, usually rhythmic and to music, used as a form of expression, social interaction or presented in a spiritual or performance setting....
has been generally done to Ray Anthony
Ray Anthony
Ray Anthony is an American bandleader, trumpeter, songwriter and actor.- Biography :...
's big band
Big band
A big band is a type of musical ensemble associated with jazz and the Swing Era typically consisting of rhythm, brass, and woodwind instruments totaling approximately twelve to twenty-five musicians...
recording of the song
Song
In music, a song is a composition for voice or voices, performed by singing.A song may be accompanied by musical instruments, or it may be unaccompanied, as in the case of a cappella songs...
. It was a vocal hit in 1952, and instrumentally re-recorded c. 1958. The song has been re-recorded by others, including musical updates of the style, for example, a Salsa version. Duke Ellington
Duke Ellington
Edward Kennedy "Duke" Ellington was an American composer, pianist, and big band leader. Ellington wrote over 1,000 compositions...
recorded "Bunny Hop Mambo" in 1954. Other popular music of the era is also used, such as "The Glow Worm."
Ray Anthony's single
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
release of the "Bunny Hop" featured another novelty dance classic, the "Hokey Pokey
Hokey Pokey
The hokey cokey or hokey pokey , also known as the okey cokey, hokey tokey, or cokey cokey, is a participation dance with a distinctive accompanying tune and lyric structure. It is well known in English-speaking countries...
" on the B side.
Description
The dance is a variation on a conga lineConga Line
The conga line is a Cuban carnival march that was first developed in Cuba and became popular in the United States in the 1930s and 1950s. The dancers form a long, processing line. It has three shuffle steps on the beat, followed by a kick that is slightly ahead of the fourth beat...
. Participants dance in a line, holding on to the hips of the person in front of them. They tap the floor two times with their right foot, then with their left foot, then they hop forwards, backwards, and finally three hops forward to finish the sequence, which continues throughout the tune. The first person in the line leads the group around the floor.
The Finnish dance style called "Jenka" has essentially the same steps. Originating from the 19th century, jenka is actually the same dance style as the German slow tempo polka called schottische or rheinländer. It is characterised by three quick steps and a hop and is danced to music in 2/4 time. Finnjenka, also known as letkajenkka and letkis, is one of the many variations of jenka. Typical to it is that all the people dancing form a line and hold on to the one in front by the waist.
In popular culture
In the FriendsFriends
Friends is an American sitcom created by David Crane and Marta Kauffman, which aired on NBC from September 22, 1994 to May 6, 2004. The series revolves around a group of friends in Manhattan. The series was produced by Bright/Kauffman/Crane Productions, in association with Warner Bros. Television...
episode "The one in Massapequa", guest star Alec Baldwin
Alec Baldwin
Alexander Rae "Alec" Baldwin III is an American actor who has appeared on film, stage, and television.Baldwin first gained recognition through television for his work in the soap opera Knots Landing in the role of Joshua Rush. He was a cast member for two seasons before his character was killed off...
asks Phoebe if she wants to do the Bunny Hop in Monica's parents anniversary party.
In the The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air
The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air
The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air is an American television sitcom that originally aired on NBC from September 10, 1990 to May 20, 1996. The show stars Will Smith as a fictionalized version of himself, a street-smart teenager from West Philadelphia who is sent to move in with his aunt and uncle in their...
episode "Fresh Prince After Dark", Carlton is seen doing the Bunny Hop at the Playboy Mansion.
Cave Story uses the Jenka music