dont know if this has been asked before on here,but does anyone know were the northern style of dancing originated.remember reading somewhere it started with black slaves in america who were laying railway lines,and they used to dance on the tracks to blues music,hence the side to side movements,and passed down through blues to soul. any other theories anyone?

One theory I remember hearing is that the style is derived from an African American style know as "Sloan" dancing which involved wheeling, spinning, shuffling and sliding. In the 1800's the black dancers would employ the style to compete with the European immigrants who's dance style was "the Jig". The style was also apparently brought to prominence in minstrel shows in the music halls of America. A later exponent of the style was "Lenwood Sloan", a dancer and choreographer and it could be that he was responsible for bringing the style into the blues clubs in the states. Well that's one theory don't know how true it is but would love to know more. Have you seen the old footage of Major Lance performing "the beat" in the 60's? He cooled down the Sloan style right there as far as I'm concerned. Good question jkidd.

One theory I remember hearing is that the style is derived from an African American style know as "Sloan" dancing which involved wheeling, spinning, shuffling and sliding. In the 1800's the black dancers would employ the style to compete with the European immigrants who's dance style was "the Jig". The style was also apparently brought to prominence in minstrel shows in the music halls of America. A later exponent of the style was "Lenwood Sloan", a dancer and choreographer and it could be that he was responsible for bringing the style into the blues clubs in the states. Well that's one theory don't know how true it is but would love to know more. Have you seen the old footage of Major Lance performing "the beat" in the 60's? He cooled down the Sloan style right there as far as I'm concerned. Good question jkidd.

Major is great on that show but I thought he nicked all his moves from James Brown...

Major is great on that show but I thought he nicked all his moves from James Brown...

Yeah ? Well if he did, thank god it was before JB's PCP episode!!!

_{yep id say the same as above with elements of street tap thrown in,watch the nicholas or berry brothers for footwork}

Another theory....combination of jazz /tap moves...also had quite an influence along with the sliding moves that came out of the Southern churches and known as the holy dance...James Brown was a fine a example of this.....most of which was adapted to fit early RnB..very interesting subject....that is something i too was always fascinated about.....especially if one looks at the history of how it crossed the Atlantic to the UK.....was mainly through the Flamingo club in the West End...and the Black US servicemen stationed just outside London...who introduced a lot of the steps to the then early Mods of the late 50s/early60s.....Delxxx