or Happy Thanksgivukkah (for those celebrating both holidays this week)! ‘Tis the season for overeating and Black Friday shopping.  Atomic will be closed on Thursday, but you can come by tonight for Salsa Atomica, and get some respite from the hectic shopping with Big Band Friday.  For something a little different, let’s dive into a very vintage dance – the Turkey Trot – this Thanksgiving!

Doing the Turkey Trot

The Turkey Trot is a ragtime era “animal dance” which typified modern music and disappearing restrictions to gender roles and other cultural norms. The number of fashionable social dances (dance steps) flourished faster than anyone could really record or teach them. The Turkey Trot was one such dance.
Some of these dances survived as steps in later popular jazz dances such as lindy hop and tap. Without getting into an argument over the historical origins of these early vernacular American jazz dances, how about you watch some inspirational videos while you prep your veggies for Thanksgiving dinner!

Turkey Trot

*This video has a very good mash-up of various ragtime social dances if you’re looking for something new to learn?!

Some Ragtime Turkey Trot Music

Turkey Trot into the 1960s with Little Eva

If You Can Walk You Can Learn the Turkey Trot

Wow your friends and family!  Get active! And try a new dance on Thanksgiving!  Here is swing dancer Kenny Nelson (Denver, CO) giving a demonstration of “The Turkey Trot” from Beantown 2013!

Have fun learning and Happy Thanksgiving!