shimmy

     

A shimmy is a ance move in which the body is held still, except for the shoulders, which are alternated back and forth. When the right shoulder goes back, the left one comes forward. It may help to hold the arms out slightly bent at the elbow, and when the shoulders are moved, keep the hands in the same position. In 1917 a dance-song titled "Shim-Me-Sha_Wobble" by Spencer Williams was published, as was "The Jazz Dance, which included the "Shimmy-She", among others. Flappers performed this dance in the 1920s. The origin of the name is often attributed to Gilda Gray, a Polish emigrant to America. An anecdote says that when she was asked about her dancing style, she answered, in heavy accent, "I'm shaking my chemise". However, in an interview Gilda denied having said this, and earlier usages of the word are recorded.

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