Five Videos Of The (Old) Philly Bop and Other (Old) Bop Dances

Edited by Azizi Powell

This is Part II of a two part pancocojams series about the (old) Bop dance.

Part II of this series showcases five videos of the (old) Bop dance. Comments from four of these videos' discussion threads are also included in this post.

Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2019/06/book-article-excerpts-about-philly-bop.html for Part I of this series. Part I provides excerpts from one book and two online articles about the (old) Philly Bop and other old Bop dances.

The Addendum to this post provides information about Chicago Steppin, a closely related partner dance.

The content of this post is presented for cultural, entertainment, and aesthetic purposes.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to all those who are featured in these videos. Thanks also to all those quoted in this post and thanks to the publishers of these videos on YouTube.
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Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2013/04/chicago-stepping-information-videos.html for information and videos of Chicago steppin.

Note that Chicago Steppin isn't the same as the steppin that is most closely associated with historically Black Greek letter fraternities and sororities.

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SHOWCASE VIDEOS
Video #1: The Philly Bop (Official Dance of Philly)



June Donaldson, Published on Jul 16, 2007

The Official Dance of Philadelphia "THE BOP" demostrated by Audrey & June, bop & cha-cha instructors.

[...]
Song: Then Came You
Artist: Dionne Warwick & The Spinners
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As mentioned in the information given in Part I of this pancocojams series, the way the (old) Bop was danced differed depending on where a person lived (including what neighborhood one lived in in large cities such as Philadelphia, Pennsylvania). This may account for the large number of comments in discussion threads for this video and other videos that indicate that the dance being performed wasn't the Bop that the commenters remember doing.

Here are some comments from this video's discussion thread (with numbers added for referencing purposes only).
1. Sandy Thompson, 2007
"I don't know what the 1st 2 comments were about because THAT IS THE PHILLY BOP!!If you don't know u betta ask somebody!SMOOTH!!"

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2. UNIONBOY CBALL, 2008
"chi town steppin"
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"Chi town" = Chicago, Illinois

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3. Denise7826, 2008
"its looks to a cross between many style, Chi-twn steppin(but a lil watered down), Salsa, A lil Bop.. But it overall, has a reall nice look and feel to it..
So go ahead and dance!!"

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4. Loretta, 2009
"They may call it the Bop, but those of us who lived it...danced it...this is NOT the Bop. It's a combo of styles but mostly a version of jitterbug steps slowed down, a little swing and stuff."

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5. Sabra Townsend, 2010
"This is the Bop. Now, June and Audrey are definitely cool with theirs, but this IS the Bop."

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6. June Donaldson, 2011
"Hello Justforkhadijah, we Philly Bop to many different song, oldies, jazz, blues & R&B. We just perfer the smooth songs for this dance. Are you in the Philly area?
Checkout our website oldiesinphilly"

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7. SewTwstdSis, 2011
"Yep. Pretty much like the bop we did growing up in Detroit in the 50's! A few slight differences, but yeh! Fun to watch!"

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8. Loretta, 2011
"I did some research and was shocked to discover that the Bop WAS different in diff. locations. This one was totally diff. from where I lived in the west. I thought what "we" were doing was the real thing. As a teen we were so proud that our Bop was nothing like the old swing and jitterbug steps as seen a bit in this...but hey, I've discovered that I was wrong. Bop is whatever it was in your area! The fun of it is what matters."

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9. Loretta, 2012
"@esquireyes Yes, you are right I discovered. (see my later post). I can't find a video anywhere that shows the way we bopped in California, but it was no way like this one. But I can understand with this way being done on American Bandstand that those that did it would think it was America's Bop. Not on the West Coast...but even here, I would bet diff. areas danced it differently."

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10. keithdano, 2012
"i'm sorry but that is not the philly bop!! that a cha cha not the bop, that's not even the concept of the bop sorry"

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12. Kenny M, 2015
"that is not the philly bop, it's not even close, but you guys look nice together, it looks like a kind of two step cha cha. It's nice but that is not the philly bop, sorry"

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13. Wali Bashir, 2018
"Yea Big June. That's how it's done in Philly. I met you years ago at Club Enterprise when they used to do Thurs nights with DJ Troy The Bunny who I grew up with. They call it swing in the SC. I know it as Bop, PHILLY BOP!"

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14. spoopylou, 2018
"Thank you for this video. It's my proof that there was a dance similar to the Chicago steppin dance called the bop."

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15. Troy Crez, 2018
"Sorry but Chicago has the best Boppers hands down !"

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Video #2: Philly Bop



Saidah17, Published on Sep 4, 2009

Jr and Baby Sis kickin it "ol skool".
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"Philly" is a nickname for Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (USA)

Here are some comments from this video's discussion thread (with numbers added for referencing purposes only).
1. kpitt1204, 2010
"Y;all were killing it. If that is not what it used to be like, you must have cleared the floor whenever you started dancing. That was hot!"

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REPLY
2. Roger PhillyBlock, 2010
"Me & my wife agree with kpitt1204. Now everybody else clear the floor. (smile) Good quick-step boppin . That there is real old-school&stylish footwk.."

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3. Franny BayBe Late Night Adult Talk, 2012
"im glad somebody in philly can show how to really bop.. thanks for this!! im learning!! lol oh yea, and i suck at it btw"

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4. keithdano, 2012
"now this is the philly bop!!!!!! and dont tell them how to do it !!"

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5. detroitskate1, 2013
"love this! took my first bop class saturday and looking forward to the day when i can have as much fun as these two....."

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6. Akil Marshall, 2014
"Philly got it going on! Ol skool! Yeah, Yeah!"

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7. Joyce Cunningham, 2019
"That's right philly bopper"

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Video #3: BOP & CHA CHA CHA - FOP - 02-23-2012.wmv



Tamika Shipman, Published on Mar 8, 2012

[...]
Song: Are You Using Me?
Artist: Luther Vandross

[...]

Song: Lover And Friend
Artist: Minnie Riperton

[...]
Song: Evil (Album Version)
Artist: Earth, Wind & Fire

[...]
Song: I Need to Know
Artist: Marc Anthony
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Here are two comments from this video's discussion thread (with numbers added for referencing purposes only).
1. Dawn Rabon, 2012
"Carolina Shag with a COOL factor!"
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Read an excerpt about Carolina Shag (dancing) in Part I of this pancocojams series.

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2. Michael Culbert, 2017
"One of my favorite videos; I learn a lot everytime I watch this. I enjoy watching all the different styles!"

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Video #4: Boppin at the F.O.P. - 03-08-2012.wmv



Tamika Shipman, Published on Mar 14, 2012

Mike Young presents Motown Nights at the FOP in Philly! Bop, Cha Cha Cha and Line Dance. They get it in!!! Learn to do it all every other Thursday....lessons from 6-8 party til 11!

Song: Come Get to This (Stepping out Tonight)
Artist: L.J. Reynolds

[...]
Song: Come Go With Me
Artist: Pockets
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"FOP" = Fraternal Order of Police (lodges) = where social gatherings are often held in various communities

This video's discussion thread has no comments.

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Video #5: The Philly Bop Dance at Traveler's Motorcycle Club



RaleauSalsa, Published on Jan 15, 2014

The Philly Bop is the popular signature dance of Philadelphia and is really fun and easy to do. The philly bop originated in the 1920's* in the streets of West Philadelphia as a smooth variation of the east coast swing. It features a 6-count step (double step, double step, step-step) and is danced primarily to Motown music. Just about everbody in Philadelphia who's over 40 years old and who grew up in Philly know how to do this dance!
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Based on my online reading, I doubt the accuracy of the 1920s that is given in this video summary.

Here's a comment from this video's discussion thread:
bobbie143bc, 2018
"WE DID THIS BOP IN 1960s Chicago"

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This concludes Part II of this pancocojams post.

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