- Shimmy
A shimmy is a
dance move in which thebody is held still, except for theshoulder s, which are alternated back and forth. When the right shoulder goes back, the left one comes forward. It may help to hold the arms out slightly bent at the elbow, and when the shoulders are moved, keep thehand s in the same position. In 1917 a dance-song titled "Shim-Me-Sha_Wobble" bySpencer Williams was published, as was "The Jazz Dance, which included the "Shimmy-She", among others.Flapper s performed this dance in the1920s . The origin of the name is often attributed toGilda Gray , a Polish emigrant to America. Ananecdote says that when she was asked about her dancing style, she answered, in heavy accent, "I'm shaking my "chemise ". However, in an interview Gilda denied having said this, and earlier usages of the word are recorded. In the late 1910s others were also attributed as being the "inventor" of the shimmy, includingBee Palmer .The move is also known under different names in various folk dances, in Gypsy dances. In Russian this move is called "Cyganochka", or "gypsy girl", and is done by gypsy female dancers to produce a chime of costume decorations made of the sewn-on coins.
The dance move with this name is used in various modern dances.
The shimmy is also a class of
belly dance moves. Depending on the desired effect, style, teacher, and country of origin of the particular dance, a shimmy might be executed differently, but altogether, the shimmy will manifest as a fast shaking or shuddering movement that can be rhythmic or arrhythmic. The movement may be localized, such as in the hips, shoulder, chest, etc., or the move might be loose and general, reverberating through the entire body. Shimmies in belly dance can also have orientation, such as an up/down movement or a twisting movement of the hips.External links
* [http://www.streetswing.com/histmain/z3shimy.htm Shimmy] at "Dance History Archives"
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.