The Madison

[LindyQuest]

On Friday my dance instructor announced that next week she would be teaching the Madison. Everyone seemed excited about this announcement, but I've never heard of it. What is this dance :?:

[Bronzestudent]

Surely she's not talking about the "Billy Madison Dance!!"

More likely, she's referring to the "Madison" Swing dance. I Googled, being interested in it myself, and I must admit that it took a bit of digging on the net, but I came across this site:

http://www.savoycentral.org/classoverview.html

which says,

"Madison Time - The Madison is an amusing line dance that originated in the late 1950's. According to Lance Benishek (dance historian), "The Madison probably started in Chicago, although it may have been Detroit or Cleveland. The Baltimore Colts learned it in Cleveland and brought it to Baltimore in 1959". It is danced to the Ray Bryant tune, The Madison Time, with calls for the particular dance sequences provided by Eddie Morrison. Eddie was a Baltimore disc jockey who started calling the steps live on the air. Based on a six count chorus step, The Madison contains several dance sequences which make playful references to the big stars of that time period. The Dance resurfaced in 1988 in the John waters film "Hairspray". According to Ryan Francois, there is also a Madison partner dance that is still danced today in England."

So, it appears to be a Swing type Line Dance.

Surely there's somebody else here that knows more about it from personal experience. I'm like you, never danced it, and never heard of it until now. Have fun though!

[funkyfreak]

I'd tell you more, but that description just about wraps it up. ;)

It's a line dance at a nice, easy pace, with some amusing actions such as shooting a basketball, walking an 'M', or a few other such things. Very simple and quick to pick up. It's popularity is larger in the UK, it's mostly forgotten in the U.S. except for some small pockets -- we do it in Pittsbugh, but you'd have to go far from here to find another scene who can pull it off.

-FF

[LindyQuest]

Thanks for the info, guys!

It's a beginning class, so I was guessing that the dance wouldn't be too hard, so that's good. :D

Anyhow, I guess I'll find out for myself on Friday!

[d nice]

I love the Madison... though I'm about the only one in my scene that "knows" it... of course its been so long that I can't remember all the steps properly.

Hey ff, you going to the DCLX? Maybe you can help me ******* my memory. I'm going to be in Harrisburg after that chillin' until a workshop the next weekend. How far is that from were you live?

[funkyfreak]

Definately gonna be at DCLX. You hangin with Jen & Marty in H-burg? It's about 3 or so hours away from Pittsburgh, but Jen keeps bugging us to visit them again, I might see about heading out that way too.

-FF

[lily]

The Madison is danced quite a lot here in Paris where many dancers know at least one of the main variations. When I went dancing last time in England, I found out that over there they are called 'strolls' or 'strollers' or something like that. They can be fun as they are quick and easy to learn and everyone can join in. But, in my opinion, they can't compare to dancing with a partner :D

[luvthatlindy]

Delurking....You can also see the Madison in the movie Hairspray.

[SDsalsaguy]

Delurking....
:lol: Love that turn of phrase luvthatlindy... and welcome to the Forums! :D

[Sagitta]

Glad that you have stopped delurking "luvthatlindy"!! Welcome to the group of active df posters!!

[luvthatlindy]

Thanks for the warm welcome! I guess I have to keep posting...

[d nice]

Thats the rule. Where in SoCal do you live?

[luvthatlindy]

Inglewood. And you? And what are you doing up this late?!

I used to know the Madison. I just need a brush up.

[pygmalion]

Hi luvthatlindy. Welcome. Good to see you delurking. :wink: :D

[LindyQuest]

Hi there, luvthatlindy! Welcome to the forums! :bouncy:

[d nice]

I'm a founding member of Isomniacs-R-Us here on Dance-Forums.

I live in Sacramento.

[Swing Kitten]

Welcome Luvthatlindy! great to have another lindy hopper aboard :D

[luvthatlindy]

Hey everybody! I've been reading for a while, so i feel like I already know you.

Will I get in trouble for not sticking to the topic...

[LindyQuest]

Well, I thought the Madison lesson was fun - it's definitely a dance that doesn't take itself too seriously - you can really have fun with it (especially the "act like a bird" part :D ). There were only about six or seven of us at the class, though, so that means they probably won't play it too often so I won't get a chance to practice it much, but oh well, it was fun anyhow!

[d nice]

Madison Time is actually a fun song to just lindy to. Hopefully the dj's will play it and those who know the madison can do it, and everyone else can lindy to it.

luvthatlindy- natural topic drift is fine. No trouble, if it gets to bad we'll just start a new thread.

[pygmalion]

Topic drift happens. luvthat lindy. And either somet=one pulls folks back onto the appropriagte subject ... or not. :lol: It's not a big deal, either way. :wink:

[bgirlswinger]

i always take my video camera to exchanges so that if people do soemthing liek the madiosn- thati have never seen- i will be able to learn it and then teah it to other people so we will all knwo the dance. When Iwas at SOFLEX- idid the shim sham instead of tappign it and people were upset with me. lol
i would like to see/ learn the madison. Ialso enjoy swing the big apple, shim sham and jitterbug stroll.

-amber d.

[LindyQuest]

i always take my video camera to exchanges so that if people do soemthing liek the madiosn

That's a good idea - I'll have to try that sometime!

Ialso enjoy swing the big apple, shim sham and jitterbug stroll.

I watch everyone do the shim sham and jitterbug stroll each week, but I haven't been able to do them myself yet. I try to follow, but I think I'll just have to wait until I've actually learned how they go before I try dancing to them.

[bgirlswinger]

okay this past weekend i did the big apple for the first time. I have seen it a total of 2 times before and they did it twice at atlx- atlanda lindy exchange. the first time they did it i watched and i thought that's cool. but they did it again and i said it was a sign.. and i just did it. i basicly followed the guy beside me. I knew all of the moves,. i just didn't know the order of them. It was so cool.
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[pygmalion]

Sounds like a cool experience. I think there's a thread about that dance somewhere in the swing forum. Hmm. will search, bgirlswinger.

[bgirlswinger]

not necessary,. .btu thanks

[petitetonya]

sorry to sound like a cynic, but I can't stand the Madison. That line dance has always annoyed me for some reason...I think it is because of the whole "3 points" line or whatever it says. To me it seems more like a line dance you would teach at an elementary school dance class. Sorry, had to get that off my chest :wink: I feel better now.

I really like Al & Leon's Shim Sham, Dean Collin's Shim Sham, The Big Apple, Trankey Doo. Those are awesome and really help improve your dancing.

[pygmalion]

Trankey doo? Huh?

[d nice]

Tonya is just mad because I can "birdland" better than her. 8)

[petitetonya]

Tonya is just mad because I can "birdland" better than her. 8)

hee hee

no, Tonya is just mad because she doesn't know what the heck you are talking about. I thought Birdland was a song!?

Damon, come to seattle for CJ...you will meet lots of hot chicks.
t

[d nice]

Birdland is one of the moves in the Madison...

I can't do CJ I'm teaching and judging at the Eastern Canadian Swing Championships. Just out side of Montreal... and there will be lots of hot chicks there too. I don't know if any of them will talk to me but a fella can dream. ;)

[petitetonya]

Birdland is one of the moves in the Madison...

I can't do CJ I'm teaching and judging at the Eastern Canadian Swing Championships. Just out side of Montreal... and there will be lots of hot chicks there too. I don't know if any of them will talk to me but a fella can dream. ;)

Aren't the ECSC the weekend BEFORE CJ?

[d nice]

Maybe... ECSC is memorial weekend. When is Camp Jitterbug? Are you going to play the Madison? ;)

[petitetonya]

Maybe... ECSC is memorial weekend. When is Camp Jitterbug? Are you going to play the Madison? ;)

ECSC is on May 21-24, I just checked the webpage.

CJ is on Memorial Day weekend which is May 28th-31st

The Madison is the theme song of CJ.

[jdavidb]

I have this cd... The Madison Time with a Hollywood Jazz Beat. Yep, there's lots of lindy-able time on this cd. I also want that Big Twist one with Mo-lasses on it. So, if I rent or buy the movie, Hairspray, will I see how to do the Madison?

[LindyQuest]

If I remember correctly, when my instructor was teaching us, she said what we learned was a bit different from what was shown in the movie. The more difficult moves, including one called the Cleveland Box, were eliminated from the movie. Otherwise, I think she said it was pretty much the same. Altogether, it's a pretty easy dance; they taught us in one session in my beginning class. :D

I like the music - I may have to go buy that CD you mentioned...

[Sakura]

Never heard of the Madison myself until my friend Alex introduced me to The Rocky Horror Picture Show! :D :lol: :D Greatest. Movie. Ever.! *grins* Of course, then there's the callout line when you go to the Midnight showings:

(After the Time Warp)
Viewers: Say something stupid so we can get up, @$$hole (<--Referring to Brad)!!
Brad: Say, does anyone here know how to Madison?

Heh, heh... :oops: Sorry 'bout the cursing, but we Midnight Matinee-ers are a rowdy crowd! :wink:

But I'm sure the Madison is a really nice dance; it sounds fun, so I'll make sure I try it at *least* once.

And to join the Chorus, welcome to DF luvthatlindy! And yes, you must come post more! :D You will grow to love it... And then you will no longer be able to stop... :wink: 8)

Sakura Kitty :kitty:

[jdavidb]

Yeah I rented the movie today. They did chop big chunks of it out :( I don't even see anyone doing bird imitations in this. But, I did find this! -> http://www.barrett.demon.co.uk/fridayfolk/madi10.htm

The Hollywood Jazz Beat CD has versions of the songs with and without the Madison calls. So, you don't feel like you're breaking the rules by doing Lindy Hop to those cool tunes.

I clocked the whole cd today. It's amazing that this range of tempos is covered on one cd. 139 bpm to 360 bpm!

There are 21 songs with 6 being not applicable to swing dancing. So, that's 15 catchy lindy hop candidates. Of the swinging songs, only two are 360 bpm, and one of those drops to 170 bpm. Two are 215 bpm. The remaining 11 are in that most useful 139 to 188 bpm range.

If you want Mo-lasses, it's on two of Ray Bryant's cd's. I plan to buy the longer playing, higher priced one. The one that costs more has 5 more swingable songs on it than the cheaper one. I'm probably not remembering right about the difference of 5. I'll go listen to the clips at cduniverse.com & ******* my memory in a little while.

[jdavidb]

So is "The Madison" part of Madison Time done facing forward as it is done in Hairspray, or is it done with the left side facing the line's forward like in Swingbrain's instructional CD? I found this CD here: http://swingdanceshop.com/swlidarecd.html . The Madison 6-count is shown in the clip, "View samples of each dance".

[d nice]

They are both right...

The dance faces a "forward" position, but the "basic" or "anchor" step is sort of a sideways twisting move. When I do the step my bodyfaces forward really only on the first touch forward, the rest of the time its mostly twisting from a 45 to 90 degrees to the right (remember to reverse the direction that is shown in the video).

[jdavidb]

They are both right...

The dance faces a "forward" position, but the "basic" or "anchor" step is sort of a sideways twisting move. When I do the step my bodyfaces forward really only on the first touch forward, the rest of the time its mostly twisting from a 45 to 90 degrees to the right (remember to reverse the direction that is shown in the video).

Thanks. I'm thinking I'll recommend the Hairspray-facing one for stage when we start working on this in July. I'm gonna mail you a video of this show once we finally get it right.

I haven't 100% worked my way back into that show yet, but I'll manage it.

Reverse the direction? The left steps out first, right? The left does the 3 taps as the right supports it?

[westiemonkey]

Peter Strom doing the Madison - Is the funniest and cutiest thing I have ever seen......

You would think that a dancer like him would know the whole dance but he just goes with the flow...... Love that...... !!!