Black Bottom - Vintage Blues Dance

The Black Bottom (aka Swanee Bottom) was originally from New Orleans, later worked its way to Georgia and finally New York. Some say the Black Bottom was introduced by blues singer "Alberta Hunter" (which is probably true as many songs & dances were "stolen" and reproduced by someone else). However, it has been reported that the Black Bottom was derived from an earlier and similar dance called the "Echo." The dance was done all over the South before Bradford wrote his song in 1919.
Simple moves were created by natural movements, like the stomp was to imitate a cow's feet stuck in mud.
Copyright: 17 U.S.C. § 106 & 107

[@OLD_SOUL1900]

I looked at the first comment while watching the video and I was like, 'what?? Ruby Keeler? Where?' And then, the title card came up, "Black Bottom", zoomed in on the lady's face, she smiled into the camera and sure enough!😁 Love her!😚 She's here: 1:15 to 1:53 and in slow-motion at: 3:10 to 4:20 that and the Charleston are great fun to dance!😉

[@marthamydear5844]

Yes, and I wonder when this film was made!

[@OLD_SOUL1900]

@@marthamydear5844 🤔Me too! I'd say, eh, mid twenties. I think the Black Bottom came out in 1926. Of course, the Charleston before that, again °I think°, in '23.💖

[@cranberrybandit]

I was so excited to see Ruby Keeler. I wasn't expecting that! :)

[@JudgeJulieLit]

At 3:07 "Baby" Rose Marie ... by 1960s she costarred in the tv sitcom The Dick Van Dyke Show as part of a comedy writing team. At times she'd still sport a barrette bow in her now blonde high pageboy coiffure.

[@gloangeles9716]

That's a very young Ruby Keeler!

[@MrKEGreene]

What a delight! And now I can Black Bottom to my heart's content.

[@marthamydear5844]

They left out the part where you slap your tush while doing the side step. Hmmm....

[@maple1255]

So funny that the dance first came from watching the movements of a cow, stuck in mud ☺

[@Plattensammler88]

You're right, bur her name was Ruby ;-) I'm fascinated :-)

[@betsygordon3586]

A nickname for Broadway, named after all the lights from the marquees.

[@quique7764]

Not much has changed in this regard.

[@ghinghi97]

Does anyone know the piano music played throughout this? Thanks!

[@JudgeJulieLit]

It is fun ... especially pounded jauntily on an old piano.

[@ThingsWeSaidToday]

the 'great white way'?!

[@spongevee1]

Broadway was named that after it was lighted for the first time by the bright light of electricity. It's been called that ever since.

[@Rob21ization]

What's the name of the song???

[@cattycorner8]

That looks like Ruby Keeler

[@KeissRandomKeissen]

pretty women... cute dance.

[@LazlosPlane]

That's Mrs. Al Jolson, or, Ruby Keeler.

[@macskaparkwood3747]

LazlosPlane I caught that too.