Charleston (dance)

"The Charleston" redirects here. For the song written to accompany this dance, see Charleston (1923 song).

Josephine Baker dancing the Charleston at the Folies Bergère, Paris, in 1926

The Charleston is a dance named after the harbor city of Charleston, South Carolina. The rhythm was popularized in mainstream dance music in the United States by a 1923 tune called "The Charleston" by composer/pianist James P. Johnson, which originated in the Broadway show Runnin' Wild and became one of the most popular hits of the decade. Runnin' Wild ran from 28 October 1923 through 28 June 1924.[1] The Charleston dance's peak popularity occurred from mid-1926 to 1927.

  1. ^ Broadway Production: Runnin' Wild