The stroll is an American dance that has become increasingly popular in European 50s rock and 40s swing clubs. The dance is performed to slow swing, rock, or rhythm and blues music and was made popular by the Diamonds’ 1957 hit “The Stroll.”
Actually, the stroll dates back to a time when couples lined up opposite each other and danced their way through the line. Many of the European dances performed in the 18th and 19th centuries included such dances. These types of dances are frequently seen in period films.
American dancers are often credited with inventing the stroll, which first appeared on the 1950s show American Bandstand. Evidence suggests that some form of the stroll existed before this time.
Couples line up opposite one another, while a single couple dances, struts, or grapevines their way through the line. Because each couple has the opportunity to have all eyes on them during the dance, it is often a time for them to express their unique personalities. This is precisely the point of the stroll in the film version of Grease. Many people also point to George Lucas’ film American Graffiti as an example of the stroll.
Line dances such as the Electric Slide are sometimes referred to as strolls. In contrast to the formed line in which individuals can promenade, these dances usually feature all dancers moving in unison.
The stroll, however, most commonly refers to the dance as it was conceived in the 1950s. Because it is short and mistakes are generally tolerated, the stroll is one of the easiest dances to learn for new dancers. The stroll also gives you a break from the faster music’s more demanding footwork. The only real movement in the dance is the strut down the middle of the standing dancers, which is mostly just standing or moving from foot to foot and snapping or clapping.
The stroll also allowed dancers in the 1950s to perform a slow-moving dance that did not require them to embrace each other. As a result, it was probably popular at high school dances because it maintained decorum and prevented couples from engaging in what school administrators might have considered inappropriate behavior.