Dancing

The biggest and most enduring of these new dances was 'The Twist', pioneered in the States by Chubby Checker and a group called Joey Dee and the Starliters, where it was huge, to the point where national competitions were held. It found its way to British dancehalls around 1961 with the Chubby Checker record 'Let's Twist Again' and its follow-ups. In the States, instructions for doing the Twist were enclosed with every record sold, advising "Imagine you are stubbing out a cigarette with both feet whilst drying your back with a towel", which pretty well describes it. No other dance craze really came close to it, despite the efforts of the television pop show 'Ready Steady Go!' which broadcasted its weekly 'new moves' section to a huge audience. Resident dancers on the show were Theresa Confrey and Patrick Kerr who both invented and demonstrated new dances alongside "members of the public" (chosen specially during their visits to the Sabre club).

The Cavern Club in Liverpool had its own special dance almost forced upon it. Called 'The Cavern Stomp' it consisted of holding hands with the person nearest you and jerking backwards and forwards in an effort to avoid falling over. This was just about all that was possible due to the overcrowded nature of the venue! There was also the dance to 'The Clapping Song' by Shirley Ellis have and even The Charleston and The Hand Jive had Sixties revivals!