My, my, my....How this dance I love has evolved and changed over the years! Fas' Dancin' is what I learned and grew up with. Somewhere in the 60's when the term "Beach Music" became popular the dance was being called the "Shag". This ol' dancin' queen just can't bring herself to say she "shags".... I "fas' dance".
There are many versions of how this dance, the official State Dance of both North Carolina and South Carolina, came to be. I am not, and will not claim to be, an historian. Growing up I was always told that this dance was developed in the late 40's as a slower version of the jitterbug. Gonna tell ya' right now that Kristyemac here is NOT gonna EVEN begin the debate on the history of this dance. Folks from NC and SC and several different eras have argued over the facts for years...I'm just gonna say I LOVE this dance and the music that goes with it.
Everybody has their memories of how and when they were first introduced to "fas' dancin'". My memories go back to about the age of 9. I had a brother 9 years older than me and in high school my parents would let him have the family car if he took his little sister with him. They figured he would NEVER misbehave if he had me in the car with him. Lord have mercy...If my mother had any idea of some things her baby girl was exposed to back in those days! There was a grill "across the river" called Lynn's. I remember the jukebox in the back room and the high school kids (my idols at the time) laughing about Lynn's "grape drinks". Seems to me there was somethin' else in those grape drinks besides soda! Anyhoo my cousin, Judy, had taught me to dance with her and because I was just a young'n she would throw me between her legs, do a "little apple" and a "big apple", where I was thrown up in the air and around her back. They would take me to Lynn's, put some quarters in that jukebox and turn me on. We really put on a show! My love for fas' dancin' was born.
Being from Lillington, NC and having a father who was good friends with the Driver "boys" from Dunn, I was exposed to Harry and Dottie Driver's dancing around the age of 11 or 12. My daddy had always talked about how Harry could dance and I was lucky enough that Harry put himself in charge of youth dances at Chicora Country Club outside of Dunn. It was here that I was exposed to the REAL music and the REAL dance. I've never turned back.
"Imagine a rough timber dance floor, built over water, and located out in the middle of rural Sampson County, North Carolina. The entrance road is dirt and dust, and the closest small towns are Dunn and Clinton, 15 miles west and east, respectively. You can hear the crickets chirping and the frogs croaking; and the mosquitoes are biting? Welcome to the 38-year phenomenon known as—Williams Lake.
Clayton and Lillian Williams owned Williams Lake. They lived across the road from The Lake and spent the majority of their lives giving young and old, alike, a place to go and have fun. All you could ask for, and more, happened at The Lake from 1932 to 1970 … jitterbugging to music on the jukebox in the 30s, 40s, and 50s and bopping to the sounds of live music in the 60s.
It was the Swing Era—early 1930s—a time when uncertainty was building around the world. Little did people realize that in a few years there would be ultimate chaos that would affect their innocent and uncomplicated lives forever. For the present, leisurely summer days of swimming and picnicking, with families, is all that seemed important.
The Depression had a big effect on music in the 1930s. People needed security and wanted to hear lively and spirited sounds; it was a reflection of the way they were feeling. They wanted to feel happy. In 1934, a bandleader known as Cab Calloway introduced a cut-time, four-beat energetic tune, and it would evolve into a dance that would take the nation by storm. The song was titled—The Jitterbug.
Mr. and Mrs. Williams would eventually provide a haven for protection during the Depression by introducing a new addition to their lake pavilion—Music; and it would be provided by a generator-powered jukebox. Teenagers from surrounding towns heard about the arrival of the jukebox and set off on those sandy and dusty roads to Williams Lake in order to dance the Lindy Hop and the Jitterbug. The music of recording artists Glenn Miller, Count Basie, Benny Goodman, and Duke Ellington was gaining fame in a small wooden shelter in the middle of a place that no one outside of two or three counties knew existed—Williams Lake!
Eventually, those 1930s fun and carefree days ended. The world was at war in the early 1940s, and it was a sad and lonely time for most families who had at least one child defending our nation in World War II. However, one local sanctuary remained positive—Williams Lake! Mr. and Mrs. Williams continued to provide a place for families to come together and forget about the oppression of war.
Times had changed and so had the music genre. The combined styles of the 20s, 30s, and 40s would eventually come to be known as Rhythm and Blues and Rock and Roll. Nonetheless, the music from Miller, Goodman, Shaw, and others, bounced around the nation; but sounds from other artists as The Mills Brothers, Louis Jordan, Ella Fitzgerald, and Frank Sinatra were taking shape. Two O'clock Jump, Shoo-Shoo Baby, and White Cliffs of Dover were reverberating over the radio and on the jukebox at—Williams Lake!
By the late 1940s and early 1950s, we were in the middle of the Korean Conflict. Rhythm and Blues was in full influence and recording artists as Dinah Washington and Buddy and Ella Johnson were paving the way for another generation of teenagers. It was not uncommon to hear Evil Gal Blues, Caldonia, and Old Maid Boogie on the jukebox at—Williams Lake!
In 1953 and 1954, Clyde McPhatter and The Drifters and The Dominoes were recording influential songs as Money Honey and Sixty-Minute Man. The dance known as the Jitterbug had now evolved into the Bop and was ultimately popular on the East Coast and in clubs from Virginia to Florida. One such dance club in NC was—Williams Lake!
A further music style was additionally coming into existence—Doo-Wop—a Rhythm and Blues character of music with vocals. This method originated in the northern black communities, became popular in the 1950s, and blossomed throughout the 1960s—resonating of tranquil harmonies from The Platters, Little Anthony and the Imperials, and more. These groups made it possible for people to slow dance with each other. Sometimes couples could be seen standing in a close position and just swaying back and forth to songs as Only You and Tears on My Pillow … yet one more reason for sweethearts to flock to—Williams Lake!
About 30 miles from Williams Lake, another small town was also about to enter the music arena. Dynamic musicology was catering to another teenage era in Faison, NC; and it would feed the high school and college enthusiasm by introducing live R&B music to surrounding NC counties.
In 1960, Mr. C. P. Ellis opened up his produce warehouse in Faison showcasing a little-known black band called Ulysses Hardy and The Mighty Blue Notes. Ulysses excited the crowds with his rendition of James Brown's Please, Please, Please by hanging from the rafters during the song. One of the Blue Notes musicians was a 15 year old saxophonist who would later go on to play with James Brown and become one of the most eminent national and international Jazz and R&B artists of all time. His name—Maceo Parker!
Additionally, appearing on the scene and playing with The Blue Notes for several years, was Henry Slocumb, a white teenage bassist from Dunn, NC. Henry would maintain the distinction of being the only white musician to perform with The Blue Notes at Faison. The Blue Notes played in Faison from September to Easter, and Williams Lake opened the Wednesday before Easter and remained operative through Labor Day … Faison in the fall and winter and Williams Lake in the spring and summer. It was a dream come true for teenagers.
The British groups were invading the music industry by 1964. Faison's entertainment future was uncertain; so the doors to the C. P. Ellis Produce Warehouse Shed 403 closed for good that year.
Mr. and Mrs. Williams were now physically unable to continue operating Williams Lake; in 1965, they turned the management over to 22-year-old Robert Honeycutt, who had begun working at The Lake when he was 14. Robert would introduce a regenerated remembrance and forever put Williams Lake on the map.
The Lake would, undeniably, become unprecedented for the appearances of NC bands, as well as, premier national recording artists as Martha and the Vandellas, Maurice Williams, Billy Stewart, Jackie Wilson, The Coasters, and many more.
The inaugural band to perform at Williams Lake on April 21, 1965 was Bob Collins and The Fabulous Five out of Greensboro, NC. The Five was considered to be one of the top three favorite bands to play at The Lake, and they are still entertaining audiences today in 2008.
Another local band that gained popularity at The Lake was Gene Barbour and The Cavaliers from Dunn, NC. The Cavaliers often backed up celebrity groups as Joe Pope and The Atlanta Tams, Clifford Curry, Major Lance, and other prominent recording artists. In 1969, The Cavaliers merged with another Dunn band, The Tymes, and adopted the name Men of Distinction. The Men continued to perform throughout the Southeast through the 70s and will always be remembered as emissaries of music from the small town of Dunn, NC. Later to become Harry's Band, named in honor of their long-time manager and mentor, the late Harry Driver, the power show band continued to excite audiences until 2005.
Rounding out the top three best-liked bands was Ken Helser and The Tassels, later called Pieces of Eight. Reminiscent of Ulysses Hardy, as he did at Faison by hanging from the rafters, the crowd was energized by Ken when he did the same at The Lake. Ken Helser continues to electrify audiences today through the power of his ministry, A Place for the Heart.
Charles Dickens wrote, "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times [...], we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to Heaven, we were all going direct the other way." Vietnam, Woodstock, Anti-War Protestors, Drugs … Janice Joplin, Jimi Hendrix, Joe Cocker, Joan Baez … And so it was that in the early dark hours of January 1, 1970, an era ended with the closing of—Williams Lake!
Thirty-eight years have since passed. Nonetheless, anytime you happen down NC Side Road 1002 in Sampson County, the crickets are still chirping; the frogs are still croaking and the mosquitoes are still biting. And if the summer breeze is blowing just right, you can also hear the faint sounds of Joe Pope and The Atlanta Tams singing those familiar words, "There's a ram shackle shack down in old Caroline; And it's calling me back to that heart of mine"—Williams Lake!"
WoooWeeee! I remember being put in charge of the Tams' catfish trot line at the Lake so I would be taken care of while the Lillington boys were fighting the Dunn boys out in the parking lot. But don't think for one minute that I didn't keep sneaking back inside to watch the sweaty teenagers fas' dancin' to the music. I would be mesmerized! And when I was still much too young to be legal I was finally on that dance floor with some of the best dancers Williams Lake could muster up. Man, those were the days!
By the time I was in high school, fas' dancin' was being called the Shag. Beach Music was the term of the day for the music being played to "shag" to. Somehow I just couldn't change with the times. Give me that good 'ol Jump & Jive music of days gone by. My style of dancing has always been what I considered "street dancing". The man was ALWAYS the lead and the woman was ALWAYS the follower...It was supposed to look that way, but many 'a female fas' dancer had her way with the men on the floor! One such was my bud, the late Sandra Schwartz. I NEVER saw Sandra shag...she was ALWAYS fas' dancin'...and what a sight! Also a street dancer, Sandra found it hard to teach anybody her steps...they were just there...and they were always perfect. Sandra taught me to step up for myself and get those men on the floor. Give me some good 'ol Sandra Schwartz street dancin' any day!
A beautiful lady....and a beautiful fas' dancer!
I've been lucky enough to have a son who loves fas' dancin' as much as I do. He, too, is a street dancer. Turn that ol' boogie woogie music on and his feet start moving! Love this boy and look forward to him carrying on the dance. This clip is from a dance contest, which I don't really care for, but it shows what Mama's Boy can do:
The dance I love is changing and I fear for it's survival. We have some mighty fine young folks that are learning our dance and our music, but as with all new things there are changes. These changes are turning the shag into a new dance some of us are calling the "Swag"...a take on good ol' fas' dancin' with a lot of swing dancing thrown in. Makes for a beautiful show and wins a lot of contests...but it ain't fas' dancin'! I accept these changes and enjoy watching some of the younger ones gettin' out there and struttin' their "swag" steps...but I also support and encourage that they remember the ROOTS of our dance...the fas' dancin'.
Not all of the kids today are swaggin'...We still have those that have wrapped their arms (and legs) around the dance as it was started and hopefully will help the dance as it was to survive. One of my favorites at this time is a young man named Garrett Spencer. Garrett has watched and learned from some of the best old school fas' dancers and really puts on a show. If I was a teenager today, this boy would be MINE! He definitely has my attention and we are all so proud of him.
We have LOTS of the younger ones that are fas' dancin'....Just using him as an example. Now to get to "Swaggin".....It is definitely a beautiful dance, much more choreographed and mirror step oriented. It's just not for me. I enjoy watching it, but I also consider it a totally new style of dancing....One that will continue on long after I am gone. Here's a good example of what I consider the "Swag"...
Brennar Goree and Torri Smith are absolutely the best! This, my friends....is the Swag. A beautiful mixture of shagging and swing dancing. Poetry in motion...dance motion, that is!
Videos were not around when the great fas' dancers were in their prime...We don't have videos from the 50's and early 60's showing some of the great pioneers of our dance.....Jimmy Calcutt, Billy Jeffers, Chicken Hicks, Shad Alberty, JoJo Putnam...just to name of few of the bad boys of fas' dancin'. The best I can do is this one:
Now understand that this was in 1983...Can you imagine the fas' dancin' JoJo Putnam and Joanne Johnson were doing 25 years earlier? Gotta love it!
This has been a long winded blog post and hasn't even started to define this dance and music that I am madly in love with...I'll end it with MY next generation of fas' dancers...my granddaughter LouLou...Here's hoping that she will continue on...learn the roots of her MeeMall's dance and carry on some street dancin' when I'm gone!
Kinda brings a tear to your eye, don't it? Hehehehehe..
Anyways...No matter what you call it...Fas' dancin', Shaggin' or Swaggin'...Keep on keepin' on and don't forget...If you stumble make it part of your dance!
Dance on, my friends.....Kristyemac
Now that you've read my blog...How about TALKIN' to me? Please leave a comment!
Kristye: I enjoyed this post on fas'dancing. I learned to fas' dance from my cousin Linda. She used to dance with her dad's belt fastened to the door knob! Also, for those of us who had no connection to make it to Williams Lake, Fred Cummings, who worked at the Harnet Youth Correctional Facility used to arrange for the prison band to play for a dance at Boone Trail School Gym about once a month. We had so much fun! I think we paid 50 cents admission!
ReplyDeleteHey girl!!! Boy, this really brought back memories!! Williams's Lake was such a cool place to go!!
ReplyDeleteHow have you been?? Haven't seen you around in years!! Where do you live now??
Anyway, fun reading your post!!
Debbie Christian Hutchens