The Original Girls Gone Wild
THE ORIGINAL GIRLS GONE WILD
THE HISTORY OF GO GO DANCE IN AMERICA
Imagine this. It’s 1967. You’re 18. You’re packing for your three-month tour of Vietnam as a Go-Go dancer. Click here to see Go-Go Dancer Joanna Dick. In many ways, Go-Go dancers in the 1960s were the original “girls gone wild.” Here’s why.
First, a quick overview from Wikipedia: “Go-go dancers are dancers who are employed to entertain crowds at nightclubs[1] or other venues where music is played. Many 1960s-era clubgoers wore miniskirts and knee-high, high-heeled boots, which eventually came to be called go-go boots. Night club promoters in the mid‑1960s then conceived the idea of hiring women dressed in these outfits to entertain patrons.”
A LOOK AT GO GO FOOTAGE
“Psycho,” a fictional (yet authentic scene), shows video footage of well-known 60s Go-Go dancer Lada Edmund Jr. The scene captures the free, wild, quirky energy of Go-Go dance in the 1960s.
Edmund was a famous Go-Go dancer on the TV series “Hullabaloo,” which ran from 1965-66. She was also a successful stunt actor in Hollywood turned personal fitness trainer. Although the “Psycho” scene is crafted from a fictional plot, the dancing and the spectator’s dramatic reaction show a common perception of go-go dancing in the 60s.
Go-Go girls in the 60s were the original girls gone wild. And even though footage like thriller motion picture trailer, “Psycho A-Go-Go” is fabricated, documentation of the awe, disbelief and disproval at women expressing themselves freely is accurate in context.
Listen to the sentiment of dismay and objectification expressed in the trailer narration, “Wild, young, provocative bodies of the Go-Go girls. Who are the Go-Go girls? How do they live?”
Go-Go dancing is about the body, the freedom to express oneself outside of the status quo of societal norms. It’s also about knowing the latest dance trends, being a great mover and shaker. And Go Go dancers get paid to do it!
CULTURAL ASPECTS
Check out this documentation of social dance’s changing nature and impact in the mid-sixties—a video clip from Whisky A Go-Go, 1964.
Popular Go-Go dance moves such as the Jerk, Hully Gully, Dog, Hitchhiker, and many more were of African-American origin. Dance moves were popularized and shared (similar to current viral Tik Tok trends), emulated, and performed. James Brown and the mashed potato is a perfect example.
Here’s great footage of a POC Go-Go dancer in “Cold Sweat” from 1968.
A feature POC Go-Go dancer of historical prominence is Barbara Alston, a dancer on Hullabaloo in 1965. Documentation of U.S. history in the mid-60s conveys how groundbreaking the accomplishments of Alston and other POC legends in the entertainment industry were during this time.
There are many Go-Go dancers of note from the 60s. As a reference, check out our Dance page.
Additionally, here’s a compilation of 10 Great Dancers from the 60s & 70s.
BURLESQUE STYLE GO GO DANCING
This is a compilation of our favorite “Burlesque style Go-Go dance” scenes. It’s no surprise that as soon as Go-Go dancing emerged as a popular trend and profession, it shared ties with Burlesque and appeared in nightlife scenes. Go-Go was viewed as too risqué or physically expressive for mainstream clubs. If you look at footage from the 60s, the audience’s facial expressions tell the story. How dare women have fun or act silly and expressive with their bodies!?
In general, Burlesque style Go-Go involves more hip movements, shimmies, and undulations. Oh, and sometimes but not always, less clothes. Check out this loop of excellent Burlesque style Go-Go dancer, Raquel Welch with “Goddess arm movements” and infinity hip circles. (This is a move we practice in our 60s Go-Go dance class online). To purchase and enroll, head to our Dance Calendar.
Through the nightlife and club scene, Burlesque style Go-Go became its own style of exotic dancing. Legends like Carol Doda first pioneered the version of go-go dance known in strip clubs today.
According to author Ernie Beyl, Doda’s topless swimsuit act created quite a stir and “launched the topless craze that swept San Francisco and the nation in the 1960s.” Doda was arrested once for indecent exposure in 1965. When Doda retired in 1985, she said she was never paid enough. A true rebel. An original girl gone wild.
If you’re easily offended by boobs, don’t click on the video below. If you’re groovy, then make sure to check out the amazing footage of topless 60s band “The Ladybirds” with a caged go-go dancer. The clip is from the film “The Wild, Wild World of Jayne Mansfield.” The band footage was shot at The Blue Bunny Club in Hollywood, 1968. In the video (among other things), we catch fantastic commentary on topless cage dancing. Otherwise, the origination and history of Go-Go cages are a bit obscure. Iconic footage. Babes Rage!
GO GO DANCING TODAY
Go Go is a dance form and profession from the 60s that’s still thriving. To this day, you’ll find a Go-Go set in almost every Burlesque show in NYC. In fact, NYC native Lady Gaga has roots in Go Go.
There are three active styles of Go-Go dance contemporarily. Classic 60s Go-Go dance pays homage to the original dance moves, exotic dance that includes pole work at times, and Go-Go dance in the electronic music scene.
Go-Go dance is an integral part of nightlife culture, with raves and events like EDC showcasing a solid team of immersive, intricately costumed Go-Go dancers.
A contemporary view of the profession shows how admired, and sought-after Go-Go dance remains to this day.
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