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From Limbo to the Bunny Hop
Retro Dances for Fun and Fitness
By Charlene Torkelson
The Bunny Hop is a great dance done in a line. The leader begins with the others following behind. Hold the waist of the person in front of you – or if you have a tiny person in front, hold on to their shoulders so all in the line move together. This dance is done with a series of hops. Hop 1: Left heel out to the side. Hop 2: Left heel closes back to the right foot. Hop 3: Left heel out. Hop 4: Left heel in. Now do the same thing with the right: Right heel to the side, right heel in, right heel out, right heel in. (You have just done eight little hops in place moving the heels.) With both feet together, hop forward, then back, end with three little hops forward. The line begins to snake around the room as everyone hops together to the music.
Another line dance that also moves around the room is done to the Latin music that became popular in the late '40s and '50s. (Remember Lucy and Ricky?) It's called a Conga Line. All dancers follow the leader holding on to the shoulder of the person in front of them. Beginning with the left foot, take three walks forward putting your heel to the side on count four. So the Conga is a walk, walk, walk, heel. Each series of steps begins first with the left foot, then the right foot, then the left foot, etc. This dance really moves, so you can snake around the room, down the hall, into the kitchen...
Elvis may be the King, but Chubby Checker was the king of the great retro dance moves – his most famous being the Twist. With your feet about shoulder width apart, one in front of the other, begin by twisting your hips. Move your weight from one foot to the other as you twist back and forth. Keeping your shoulders and arms relaxed and relatively still, the twisting hip motion is a great exercise for all ages. To try a more challenging move, lower up and down as you twist. Just a warning: Your leg muscles may feel a little sore if you are not used to this movement.
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