Ok let's do it.

 

In Masons documentary Fran (RIP) says that the guys were doing kung fu inspired kicks. In the new film it is intimated that kung fu was behind some of the dance moves.

In "Who shot Liberty Valence" there is a line that says "when the lie becomes the truth - print the truth". In countless film reviews, I am reading that the dance moves were/are kung fu inspired. 

Between us we should be able to arrive at the truth, or at least 'a truth' that we can agree on.

 

Firstly, this style of dancing pre-dates the arrival of kung fu to the UK. As a child of about eight or nine (1966) I saw guys dancing like this when my (Wheelie) sisters took me to a local club/coffee bar. I am sure there are guys on this forum who can confirm this. So let's look at alternatives:

 

1. the dance move was 'picked-up' from various travelling soul stars and glimpses of black Americans dancing on films and newsreels.

 

2. The move was a progression from the Teddy Boys dancing. Even I remember watching some of those guys kicking and back-dropping in the working men's clubs - whilst I sat under the table with my crisps and bottle of orange.

 

3. We actually invented it! N. Soul dance is basically free-form jazz dancing with a few basic steps, why could it not be that it just started with some bloke thinking "I need to kick to this break".

 

This has nothing to do with Wigan, etc. We are trying to find out how it started.

 

We need the older guys to chip in on this one. Come on fellas, what's your thoughts?

 

The top teapot dancer was Johnny Timlin...this is from the eighties/nineties though although I wouldn't be suprised if that was the inspiration as the other character who dies in the car crash was a a complete rip off of Sean Adams...complete with van. 

Beats me why they didn't have Sean in the film - one of the great characters of the scene. And good to see Sean at the 100 Club Film Premier Party, mingling with the stars and us ordinary underground folk.

Check this YouTube clip out - in between the acrobatics there's some pretty nifty footwork going on.

Any excuse to listen to Stanley again...

Derek

 

Edited July 20, 20159 yr by Derek Pearson

I jumped off the balcony once at the Casino as I couldn't get down the stairs quick enough when Johnny Vanelli was being spun, only the once, couldn't dance for the rest of the night as my ankle went over.  Used to dance in Dr Marten's that were worn down to smooth on the sole, inevitably because I'd probably got on the train up there straight from watching Peterborough play (and mostly lose) and the only attempt at high kicks were made if we bumped into visiting supporters.  I'd seen Enter the Dragon, but I can't say it influenced my dancing, just made me fancy a sweet and sour meal with boiled rice.

I jumped off the balcony once at the Casino as I couldn't get down the stairs quick enough when Johnny Vanelli was being spun, only the once, couldn't dance for the rest of the night as my ankle went over.  Used to dance in Dr Marten's that were worn down to smooth on the sole, inevitably because I'd probably got on the train up there straight from watching Peterborough play (and mostly lose) and the only attempt at high kicks were made if we bumped into visiting supporters.  I'd seen Enter the Dragon, but I can't say it influenced my dancing, just made me fancy a sweet and sour meal with boiled rice.

Hi Dave. I didnt see much influence on dancing that could be put down to enter the dragon. either. lots of lad coming out of the cinema jumping up in the air and aiming half assed licks at each other though while  making screaming noises ,that was all the local lad non nighter soul folk on the whole.Wasnt there a kung fu type movie just before the Bruce Lee  epic called King Boxer, that film also saw some after showing shennanigans of the aiming some  kicking at your mates who would of course reciprocate ,type on the street a folk were leaving.

I remember at an early age going over to Kettering from Corby as part of a large weekly mob to the Windmill club where Teddy Boys(the target of the Corby mob aggresion each week ) would perform acrobatic drops and splits and even a type of spin and this I believe had been part of the repertoire since their inception,the acrobatic dancing that is not the large gang fight with much younger in their teen Corby skinheads each week

Check this YouTube clip out - in between the acrobatics there's some pretty nifty footwork going on.

Any excuse to listen to Stanley again...

Derek

 

Now thats magic1 The dancing as well as the choon!!!!!!!!!!!

The top teapot dancer was Johnny Timlin...this is from the eighties/nineties though although I wouldn't be suprised if that was the inspiration as the other character who dies in the car crash was a a complete rip off of Sean Adams...complete with van. 

Little chic used to do a good one arm on hips,he was a good dancer all round in my opinion.

Hi Dave. I didnt see much influence on dancing that could be put down to enter the dragon. either. lots of lad coming out of the cinema jumping up in the air and aiming half assed licks at each other though while  making screaming noises ,that was all the local lad non nighter soul folk on the whole.Wasnt there a kung fu type movie just before the Bruce Lee  epic called King Boxer, that film also saw some after showing shennanigans of the aiming some  kicking at your mates who would of course reciprocate ,type on the street a folk were leaving.

I remember at an early age going over to Kettering from Corby as part of a large weekly mob to the Windmill club where Teddy Boys(the target of the Corby mob aggresion each week ) would perform acrobatic drops and splits and even a type of spin and this I believe had been part of the repertoire since their inception,the acrobatic dancing that is not the large gang fight with much younger in their teen Corby skinheads each week

Now thats magic1 The dancing as well as the choon!!!!!!!!!!!

I saw Enter the Dragon in Stamford and it was quite a mental time afterwards with lads aiming kicks at each other, most weren't soulies, just bootboys.  I remember it was a Friday night and I was going to Wigan on the Saturday night, the Chinese influence didn't last as we still opted for the fish and chips at the Dolphin fish bar in Nuneaton on the way, the train change facilitated our choice of food.  Probably one of the last times I ate fish.