I'm just curious...

[Kim Bombshell]

How many people going to VLV aren't into rockabilly music? How many of you are going just to see the event or to do photo shoots?

My main objective is the music first, and the people second. There are people I've met years past that I only see at Viva. It's a great party, and I have discovered some of my favorite bands at VLV past years :-)

[Wink Holliday]

I love Miss Wolff, but the dance she teaches as "The Stroll" is actually The Electric Slide. The Stroll is a very different group/couples "vine" dance! You've seen it if you've watched Grease or American Graffiti. It originated with the dancers on American Bandstand around 1957, and the Diamonds' song The Stroll was written specifically for it. Here's how one of those original American Bandstand dancers describes it:

BEATS/STEP DESCRIPTION:
Contra portion, Man's steps Feet start about a foot apart
(Note: Take shorter steps 5 through 8)
Left Crosses and Vines
1, 2 Cross Right in front of Left, bring Right home
3, 4 Repeat 1 & 2
5 Step Right across front of Left
6 Step Left to left
7 Step Right across and behind Left
8 Step Left to left
Right Crosses and Vines
(Note: Take longer steps 13 through 15.)
9, 10 Cross Left in front of Right, bring Right home
11, 12 Repeat 9 & 10
13 Step Left across front of Right
14 Step Right to right
15 Step Left across and behind Left and pivot 1/4 turn CCW
16 Step Right forward to right coming together with lady
Stroll Portion (Gent and lady lock arms to begin forward stroll down the aisle. This can also be done "free style" usually holding hands and doing lock steps, rolling turns, etc.)
17 Step forward on Left
18 Step Right forward and to left of and just behind Left
19 Step Left forward
20 Step Right forward
21 Step Left forward and to right of and just behind Right
22 Step forward on Right
23 - 28 Repeat 17 through 22
Repeat pattern Alternating beats 1 through 16 with Stroll Portion for the duration of song, repeating 17 through 22 for however long it takes to arrive at the end of the aisle. Then fall into Contra position finding the place in the vines the others are dancing, or, lengthen or shorten stroll steps as to wind up at the end of the aisle and begin in step one with the others.

(Which, frankly, makes it sound a heckuva lot more confusing than it looks)

Kim Bombshell said:

The dancing is probably also one of the funnest parts for me...nothing like strolling with 200 other girls all at the same time with all the guys standing on the side watching...

Now that I've been dancing every Friday Night, I've gotten to be a better jiver and can't wait to dance with new partners.

[Kim Bombshell]

It is not the electric slide...it is quite a bit different and there are lots of girls who vary strolling, weaving in and out of the lines, etc. You can incorporate turns and actually move around the dance floor doing it depending on how big a steps you take. The music is usually R&B with a particular beat that is a little faster than the traditional stroll.

The version of strolling done at weekenders today, started in England, I believe. We picked it up when all the brits started coming here for weekenders and the Americans started going there for weekenders. Rockabilly subculture has a life of it's own, and has spawned a lot of things that weren't around in the 50s.

[Kim Bombshell]

Also, strolling today is strictly a ladies only dance which kind of acts as a "peacock" dance

Kim Bombshell said:

It is not the electric slide...it is quite a bit different and there are lots of girls who vary strolling, weaving in and out of the lines, etc. You can incorporate turns and actually move around the dance floor doing it depending on how big a steps you take. The music is usually R&B with a particular beat that is a little faster than the traditional stroll.

The version of strolling done at weekenders today, started in England, I believe. We picked it up when all the brits started coming here for weekenders and the Americans started going there for weekenders. Rockabilly subculture has a life of it's own, and has spawned a lot of things that weren't around in the 50s.

[Kim Bombshell]

That was a clip from Grease the movie...here is modern strolling as done at rockabilly weekenders



richie/rockabilly richie{PLA} said:

Not here in NY. The clubs I go to, the stroll is still a guy-girl dance done the way we did it back in the 50s and 60s. See video.

Kim Bombshell said:

Also, strolling today is strictly a ladies only dance which kind of acts as a "peacock" dance

Kim Bombshell said:

It is not the electric slide...it is quite a bit different and there are lots of girls who vary strolling, weaving in and out of the lines, etc. You can incorporate turns and actually move around the dance floor doing it depending on how big a steps you take. The music is usually R&B with a particular beat that is a little faster than the traditional stroll.

The version of strolling done at weekenders today, started in England, I believe. We picked it up when all the brits started coming here for weekenders and the Americans started going there for weekenders. Rockabilly subculture has a life of it's own, and has spawned a lot of things that weren't around in the 50s.

[Kim Bombshell]

Then there's bopping, also!

[Kim Bombshell]

Also, my friend who just moved here from Boston was at a show here last night and asked, "Do people stroll here?" A minute later the band started playing "ooeee Baby" and she got out with all the other girls and did the stroll that we all do at weekenders.

richie/rockabilly richie{PLA} said:

Not here in NY. The clubs I go to, the stroll is still a guy-girl dance done the way we did it back in the 50s and 60s. See video.

Kim Bombshell said:

Also, strolling today is strictly a ladies only dance which kind of acts as a "peacock" dance

Kim Bombshell said:

It is not the electric slide...it is quite a bit different and there are lots of girls who vary strolling, weaving in and out of the lines, etc. You can incorporate turns and actually move around the dance floor doing it depending on how big a steps you take. The music is usually R&B with a particular beat that is a little faster than the traditional stroll.

The version of strolling done at weekenders today, started in England, I believe. We picked it up when all the brits started coming here for weekenders and the Americans started going there for weekenders. Rockabilly subculture has a life of it's own, and has spawned a lot of things that weren't around in the 50s.

[Kim Bombshell]

Strolling in Spain!

[Debbie Dagger]

Music, cars, dancing! It's an amazing party and now that I'm on the west coast it's SO MUCH easier to get to! I really cannot WAIT! Countin' down the days

[TabbyKat Boutique]

The music is definately a big part of why I go but I also go to socialize with other like minded people and drink and have a true vacation (from kids and family) once a year. This year my main focus is this
room boutique
SweetPea's hooch and smooch
FGBL bowling
Meeting New People and seeing old friends
Cars
Vendors
Music and dancing aren't last but will come in when i'm not doing the rest of this stuff. Oh and trying to make it to the pool party this year.
Oh and of course Bingo while hungover is the best.

[Kristy C]

Last year was the first year we made it to the pool party, and it was damn worth it. It's HARD to get up and get around Sunday morning! I think that's why they made it a little later now, I believe it starts in the early afternoon instead of morning.
We forced ourselves out of bed, made coffee in the room, had a light breakfast then ordered drinks as soon as we got into the pool area. Within an hour, hangovers were gone and it was a new day.

If you stay at the orleans, you can access the pool area early to get a chair......I recommend it. That way you can set up camp and have your little area to hang and sit and relax. We stayed at another hotel last year, so by the time we got into the party it was pretty packed. Ended hanging out sitting on the concrete wall under a tree and it was fun.....but would have been way nicer to have a chair by the pool.

TabbyKat Boutique said:

The music is definately a big part of why I go but I also go to socialize with other like minded people and drink and have a true vacation (from kids and family) once a year. This year my main focus is this
room boutique
SweetPea's hooch and smooch
FGBL bowling
Meeting New People and seeing old friends
Cars
Vendors
Music and dancing aren't last but will come in when i'm not doing the rest of this stuff. Oh and trying to make it to the pool party this year.
Oh and of course Bingo while hungover is the best.

[Kim Bombshell]

Last year I was working, but I got 2 hours off to go to the pool party. I don't like being in the sun (it will age your skin!) and I get burnt easily, so I hung out on a bar stool with a couple of friends in the shade. This was the first year EVER that I made it to the pool party. I usually sleep until 2 and since I have an aversion to the sun, I just never made an effort to go. It was worth it and hopefully I'll find some cute swimwear and go this year.

Christi I *AZVK* said:

Last year was the first year we made it to the pool party, and it was damn worth it. It's HARD to get up and get around Sunday morning! I think that's why they made it a little later now, I believe it starts in the early afternoon instead of morning.
We forced ourselves out of bed, made coffee in the room, had a light breakfast then ordered drinks as soon as we got into the pool area. Within an hour, hangovers were gone and it was a new day.

If you stay at the orleans, you can access the pool area early to get a chair......I recommend it. That way you can set up camp and have your little area to hang and sit and relax. We stayed at another hotel last year, so by the time we got into the party it was pretty packed. Ended hanging out sitting on the concrete wall under a tree and it was fun.....but would have been way nicer to have a chair by the pool.

TabbyKat Boutique said:

The music is definately a big part of why I go but I also go to socialize with other like minded people and drink and have a true vacation (from kids and family) once a year. This year my main focus is this
room boutique
SweetPea's hooch and smooch
FGBL bowling
Meeting New People and seeing old friends
Cars
Vendors
Music and dancing aren't last but will come in when i'm not doing the rest of this stuff. Oh and trying to make it to the pool party this year.
Oh and of course Bingo while hungover is the best.

[Frankie Fairlane{★}]

Im going this year. finally! this is my first time going too. :-)