Shuffle Music: The Twist

mix title: The Twist
shuffle music genre: rockin
purpose: to learn The Twist
level: beginners > advanced
speed: slow rock
time: 7 mins

The Twist is a twelve bar blues song that gave birth to the Twist dance craze. The song was written and originally released in 1959 by Hank Ballard and the Midnighters as a B-side to “Teardrops on Your Letter” peaking at 28 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Chubby Checker in Melbourne 1962

The song, and the dance the Twist, was popularized in 1960 when the song was covered by Chubby Checker. His single became a smash hit, reaching number one on the Billboard Hot 100 on September 19, 1960 and then setting a record by being the only single to reach number one in two different chart runs when it resurfaced and topped the chart again on January 13, 1962.

For Shufflers looking for a slow rockin feel, the twist will suit you fine. And it's easy.

Try shuffling to the music as a warm up/warm down track.

Chubby Checker gives a sophisticated and masterly demonstration of the Twist in this 1960 TV clip.

 

Our good shuffle friend from Russia pcKOT, has sent us this fantastic 1967 Russian movie clip, featuring a short tutorial on how to do the Twist. I wouldn't be surprised if this technique was the inspiration for the Twist in the first place :D  

Сheck it out, Garry, this is the short cut from an old Leonid Gaiday film "Kavkazskaya Plenica" (Kidnapping, Caucasian Style), 1967. Its the first time people in USSR saw this dance, as you can see it also includes a short tutorial =) It was a real cultural breakthrough for those times.

 

Here's the Ray Charles / Blues Brothers brilliant and infectious homage to the Twist, the Fly, the Swim, the Boogaloo, the Monkey, the Mashed potato... See how many of them you can do.

Ray Charles Blues Brothers - Twist it (Shake Your Tail Feather)