I doubt anyone who did not dance during the ww 2 period, will have an answer ( i know thers a couple of you out there )

Q--- Do you remember the " Blackout Stroll " -- Joe Loss played it-- I danced to it-- cannot remember how the heck it went . ( brief description if poss )

http://www.1940.co.uk/history/sound/sound.htm

Hope this helps.

Don't know if you mean the lyrics or the tune, but this should help: try the fifth one down!

http://www.1940.co.uk/history/sound/sound.htm

Thanks ralph-- Its more the dance construction Im trying to remember.

Think I can get a recording by Loss .

Hello Terence2,

I really hope you get an answer to this as I have tried other forums with the same question with no success.

I am running a charity dance in november for the Royal British Legion and want to showcase this particular dance.

Alan

Here is a good quality video clip of the Blackout, filmed in a nightclub in 1943.
http://nightclub-business.net/nightclub.wmv
The home page has a little more information.
http://nightclub-business.net/1943-nightclub.html

THANKS !!-- really appreciate this-- will check it out

Still tracking it down-- know many of the popular dances ( music still available ) this is a tougher one !

Think your post has solved the problem !!

They attribute A / M, to the original idea. What followed was a more " genteel" approach , as I seem to re call. The clip shows , double hand hold, travelling in a circle , some using volta movements, others , side together side. The lights go dim and a pose is struck.

The English variant , had the same basic concept but was danced in a normal hold and finished with what was then called " a statue " , or " freeze " . More like a rhythm foxtrot(?) .

From this, came the same idea, lights on, music stops-- freeze- any movement, you left the floor, last one " standing " was the winner .

I am not sure this is the dance that I am trying to find, the original dance played by Joe Loss during the 39/40 period was called (as I understand) the Blackout Stroll. I am not too familiar with "Stroll" dances, but this video, whilst interesting does not seem to be anything like I would expect from a stroll.

I also understood from my original information that when the lights went out they did not freeze, but changed partners.