Forgotten Dance Craze Was As Huge As 'The Twist' Back In 1962

Aug 07, 2019

Most people love to dance. There is something awesome about hitting the dance floor and just letting go. Slow dancing, fast dancing, dirty dancing – there's always one form of dancing that is just right for a particular moment. Dancing is a form of stress relief, and it's just plain fun as well.

Back in the late 50s to early 60s, it seemed as though every week there was a different crazy dance phase you had to pay attention to. Going to weekly dances at schools and clubs was a normal occurrence for many people. No matter what kind of music you were into, there was always a dance that made you want to get up and shake it.

Not only that, but dances were a great place to meet up with friends and have a cool time catching up. It was wonderful to relax after a hard week of school or work at your local dance club. If you were in school, you may have headed to your local gym to bust out the latest moves. It was a great time to be alive for sure.

Many people remember all of the big dance hits from the 50s and 60s. The 1962 hit single by The Contours, “Do You Love Me,” was a huge hit back then. Why? Everyone loved to participate in the “twist” and the “mashed potato". They were fun grooves that dancing men and women both loved to show off to.

However, there were other dances that were just as popular as these two. Not all of them are remembered as much today though. One dance that many people may have forgotten was the “Peppermint Twist”.

It was a dance made famous by Joey Dee & The Starliters and a huge hit in the very early 60s. Everyone loved to dance to this insanely catchy tune!

See if you remember dancing to it!

You can watch it for yourself below:

Now that you have watched the video, do you remember just how popular the dance was? Sometimes a video is needed to jog the memory! If you remember the song and dance, leave a comment for us below. Remember – you are never too old to dance!