This is a unique and rare video. It was shot in Moscow in 1962. This is how they tried to struggle the influence of the West. The dance was called “The Parody of the Western Dance” or “Back to Monkey”.
They used to say in the USSR: “Today you are listening to jazz, tomorrow you will sell you Motherland!”
They are such a pro.
hmm, rahter great, I´d say.. I myself dance boogie woogie and lindy hop and this kicks ass.. not much parody here, instead, good beginners material here. cheers from estonia
You are right. This is no parody. It’s lindy hop for sur. The dancers may even be professionals who had learned lindy hop from A to Z.
Jazz is the music of the devil and any good revolutionary knows to avoid it. Remember, comrades: “Today you are listening to jazz, tomorrow you will sell you Motherland!”
I avoid it by reading (Bakunin).
Historically it’s kind of ironic. Boogy woogy and jazz were both invented by African Americans. Same goes for this particular dance style. At the same time, a lot of Soviet propaganda was actually pro African American. So it was basically condemning America for hating this kind of culture by… Hating this kind of culture.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boogie-woogie
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jazz
1940s blacks swing dancing
This looks really civilized and classy compared to the s**t kids do on the dance floor these days.
As an American I can say with pride that if this video was meant to mock American dance in that time period these dancers did a real good job at learning the dance skills and the music. I am going to bet that if anyone of them is still alive they will tell you that the joke was on the Motherland. I say that because they are not mocking anything because one or two of the dances are from the 40′s and the rest are from the 50′s and early 60′s. Yep, they pulled the wool over Uncle Nikita’s eyes they did!
Uncle Nikita was a people person. He had no problem adjusting to changing times. How do you think he survived J.St.?
Bulletproof Vest
Looks like an excuse to dance actually rather well and slide it under the censor’s nose if you ask me. And they’re obviously having a good time at it.
It’s legendary Igor Moiseyev Ballet, the dance was made esp. for the tour in USA, 1961.
Yeah, as others noted I’m not really seeing “parody” here…
Young people having fun?! CALL ZE GUARDS!!!!
Actually, opinion, that Western influence is bad and corrupts, especially for youth, is still alive in Russian society. Being Latvian, I partly agree with them, for a mind, which has not seen much of Western pop-culture, it can seem empty, disgusting and aimless.