From the Streets to the Stage - the Story of the Black Bottom
- charlestonagogo
- Apr 10
- 2 min read
Updated: Apr 13
Ah, the roaring 1920s! Flappers, jazz music, the Charleston… and the Black Bottom?!
This month’s blog tells the story of the other hugely influential 1920s dance. Despite overtaking the Charleston as one of the most popular social dances of the late 1920s, it hasn’t quite stood the test of time in the same way. So let's talk about the Black Bottom!
Before it was a craze, it was a community dance
Despite its Jazz Age fame, the Black Bottom’s roots lie much earlier, and are deeply embedded in African American culture. The dance developed in Black communities and social spaces in the South—juke joints, street gatherings, and community celebrations—where music and movement were central to everyday life.
Like many African American dances of the time, the Black Bottom drew on traditions from West and Central African dance. These included polyrhythmic movement (different rhythms in different parts of the body), isolations—particularly of the hips and legs—and, as a social dance, a strong emphasis on improvisation and individuality. In contrast to the upright posture of European ballroom styles, the Black Bottom was grounded, with bent knees and a low centre of gravity.
From Black Communities to Broadway
The Black Bottom reached widespread fame in the mid-1920s when it appeared in the Broadway show George White's Scandals, helping to introduce it to white audiences. From there, it quickly became a nationwide sensation, danced in clubs, theatres, and homes across America.
Later interpretations of the Black Bottom can be found in A Star Is Born (featuring Judy Garland), as well as performances like the hugely popular one by the Jubilee Dancers (linked below.)
The Charleston didn’t appear out of nowhere—it evolved from dances like the Black Bottom
The Black Bottom is often compared to the Charleston—and for good reason. Both became wildly popular in the 1920s, both share roots in earlier African American dances (including juba and early tap), and both reached wider audiences through the Broadway stage.
They also highlight how African American culture shaped what became “mainstream” American entertainment, often without receiving full credit at the time.
And its name…?
When I first learnt classic Black Bottom moves as part of Jazz dance history, I was told it was named after dancers placing their hands in the mud, and then to their bottoms. I always loved this image! I also heard a story about cows stepping in mud, with dancers mimicking their foot movements.
The truth is probably much more straightforward. The name “Black Bottom” is now widely believed to refer to a predominantly Black neighbourhood, 'Black Bottom', in Detroit.
Want to try it yourself?
If you’d like to learn more about the steps of the Black Bottom—and explore its different variations—our Spring term is for you. While not always 100% strictly historical, you’ll find a taster of all these interpretations in the Black Bottom I teach.
Keep Shakin’ That Thing!
Caroline x
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