Sock Hop

Making History with the Sock Hop

Poodle skirts, ankle socks and saddle shoes, oh my! Although many girls have dressed up as a 1950’s music lover going to a sock hop for Halloween, many do not know the history behind this revolutionary dance. Even though the sock hop was just a dance, it helped revolutionize the fashion, music and events of the fifties.

Before getting into the history of the sock hop craze, it is important to understand why they happened in the first place. The sock hop started because, back in the fifties, school dances were held in the gym. Most of the gym floors were made of nice, shiny wood and the school did not want the floors scuffed during the dances. So, most schools required the removal of the shoes in order to dance.

The reason this was exciting in the fifties was because removing the shoes (even though it was a rule) was a form of rebellion. The 1950’s was a very different time period than what we live in today. Many things were changing throughout the decade and the sock hop craze reflected the acceptance of these changes. To start, 1950’s music was a big change from what people had listened to in prior decades.

Before rock n’ roll came along, 1950’s music was very straight laced, stemming from the swing era. In the mid-fifties, Elvis came along and introduced rock n’ roll, followed by Carl Perkins who influenced that rock n’ roll with R&B. Much of the older generation did not approve of this style of music, so the opportunity to dance to these types of 50’s music hits with shoes off was a very big deal.

The reason the older generation frowned upon music inspired by artists like Carl Perkins was that segregation was still commonplace. Blacks and whites often attended different schools, drank from different fountains and certainly did not date. As the 1950’s music changed and evolved, some of these racial barriers were broken down.

Also, sex was very much taboo. It was not discussed in movies, on television or in the media. 1950’s music had started to become sexual, with Elvis’ hip movements and certain styles of dance. Although the sock hop was chaperoned, there was often a brief period during the sock hop where the lights were turned down and the teenagers had the opportunity to “neck” to 1950’s music. Necking was a form of making out that took place just above the neck.

Finally, the opportunity to explore different dances that appeared in 50’s music hits was a big factor in the sock hop popularity. Dances like the Cha Cha, the Twist, The Stroll, The Hand Jive and The Bop were all fun to dance to. Many of these dances were introduced by a specific, 1950’s music hit.

Attending a sock hop was an opportunity for the kids of the 1950’s to embody some of the changes this exciting decade inspired. Although they were making history, many of those who danced the night away to popular 50’s hits would probably just consider the sock hop another way to have fun.