**History of Go-Go Dancing**:
– Etymology of the term ‘go-go’.
– Origin of the term ‘go-go dancer’ at Whisky a Go Go.
– Evolution of go-go dancing in the 1960s with examples like Carol Doda and Whisky a Go Go in Los Angeles.
– Popularity of go-go dancers on television shows like Hullabaloo and Shindig!
– Presence of male go-go dancers in gay clubs from the 1960s to today.
**Economic Aspects**:
– Average earnings of go-go dancers in the mid-1960s.
– Shift in opportunities for go-go dancers from discotheques to strip clubs in the 1970s.
– Transition to live sex shows and topless go-go dancing at strip clubs.
– Resurgence of go-go dancing in the 1980s in NYC and its spread to nightclubs.
**Cultural Relevance**:
– Inclusion of go-go dancing in pop songs of the 1960s.
– Revival of go-go dancing in gay clubs in 1988.
– Greater popularity of gay male go-go dancers in American culture today.
– City of West Hollywood’s celebration of Go-Go Boy Appreciation Day.
**Performance Art and Media**:
– Use of go-go dancers for nightclubs, parties, festivals, and raves.
– Depiction of go-go dancing in films like ‘Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill!’ and ‘Go Go Tales’.
– Appearance of go-go dancers in German show Beat-Club.
– References from dictionaries, books, and news articles.
**Modern Trends and External Links**:
– Presence of more gay go-go dancers than female dancers in contemporary club scenes.
– Resurgence of go-go dancing in the early 1980s and its spread to nightclubs.
– External links to Wikimedia Commons for related media on go-go dancing.
This article needs additional citations for verification. (April 2020) |
Go-go dancers are dancers who are employed to entertain crowds at nightclubs or other venues where music is played. Go-go dancing originated in the early 1960s at the French bar Whisky a Gogo, located in the town of Juan-les-Pins. The bar's name was taken from the French title of the Scottish comedy film Whisky Galore! The French bar then licensed its name to the West Hollywood rock club Whisky a Go Go, which opened in January 1964 and chose the name to reflect the already popular craze of go-go dancing. Many 1960s-era nightclub dancers wore short, fringed skirts and high boots which eventually came to be called go-go boots. Nightclub promoters in the mid‑1960s then conceived the idea of hiring women dressed in these outfits to entertain patrons.
