BOB FOSSE The Rich Mans Frug
The Frug (pronounced froog ) was a dance craze from the 1960s that evolved from another dance of the era, the Chicken. The Chicken, which featured lateral body movements, was used primarily as a change of pace step while doing the Twist. As young dancers grew more tired they would do less work, moving only their hips while standing in place. They then started making up arm movements for the dance, which prompted the birth of the Swim, the Monkey, the Dog, the Watusi, the Mashed Potato, and the Jerk. The Frug is sometimes referred to as the Surf, Big Bea, and the Thunderbird. A perfect example of a Frug is found in the movie Sweet Charity, which contains a number called The Rich Man s Frug, a wildly energetic dance number comprising three movements ( The Aloof, The Heavyweight and The Big Finish ) that showcases director Bob Fosse s distinctive choreography style, particularly his creative use of unusual poses, gestures, and arm movement.
|