Tuesday Trivia - Leon James Quote
by Alain Wong
The Harvest Moon Ball. The first event was originally
scheduled in 1927 in New York’s Central Park. However, an estimated
75,000 people showed up causing disorganization and confusion so the
contest was postponed. The first official Harvest Moon Ball took place
in 1935 in Madison Square Garden and lasted until 1984.Collegiate Shag was featured at the Harvest Moon Ball in 1937 and 1938.
Thanks Poke Alex for the correct answer and Thane Walkup for the bonus question answer.
This Week’s Tuesday Trivia Question
“Upon entering… you climbed two mirrored flights of marble steps until you found yourself in a teeming crowd at the middle of a block-long dance floor. Directly opposite a raised double bandstand gleamed with instruments and one of two bands was up there in full swing. My first impression was that I had stepped into a different world. I had been to other ballrooms but this was different - much bigger, more glamor, real class.”
Which ballroom was Leon James referring to in this quote?
Bonus: what was it’s nickname and who originally gave it this name?
Know the answer? Let everyone know and comment.
The Savoy Ballroom, otherwise known as “The Track”.
Of course it is the Savoy Ballroom, I had heard that quote before
it is a very nice quote…
What I didn’t know is the nickname and I found TWO in the web,
apparently the Savoy was known downtown as “the home of the happy feet” but uptown people knew it as “The Track”.
What I haven’t found yet is who nicknamed it.
found a reference to lana turner dubbing it the home of the happy feet…
the track was more of a reference to the shape (and maybe the peabody races?), yeah?
Re Last Week’s trivia answer - I’ve never found the faintest piece of evidence to support the Streetswing allegation that there was a first HMB in 1927. It would be a shame if your presumably positive intention to get dancers to learn more about the history of the Lindy in a fun way only serves to encourage further confusion. Just check out Norma Miller’s book, she has the full story about the first HMB in 1935 being held in Central Park, but too many people turned up so it had to be postponed and staged a month later in Madison Square Garden.
Hope this helps
Terry
[...] Last Week’s Answer The Savoy Ballroom. During 33 years of existence, over 250 top bands played the Savoy, including Duke Ellington, Benny Goodman and Cab Calloway. One night actress Lana Tuner called it the “Home of Happy Feet”, and the nickname stuck. [...]