Going Solo - Bopping
- When you're not following a stroll pattern or jiving with a partner, you're flying solo; this is called bopping.
It's often done to the faster songs that are too fast to Stroll or Jive to, but essentially a piece of music to bop to, or a 'bopper', is defined by it's rhythm. Boppers tend to have a hard, driving rhythm with an emphasis on the downbeat sometimes making them feel like you should be stamping rather than dancing.
Bopping to Rock n Roll and Rockabilly was traditionally done more by men than women, but recently, 'blues boppers' have gained in popularity, attracting an even mix of dancers to the floor. -
There's no pattern or partner to cause a distraction when you're Bopping so the key is to lose yourself in the music and just do what feels right.
Styles of bopping vary hugely within music genres. Teddy Boys, Rockabillies, Hillbillies and Western Swing dancers all have their own distinctive styles, but there are no rules to how your Bopping should look.
Normal rules of manners and etiquette apply while Bopping... unless you're at a Psychobilly event when you're allowed to barge a bit :)-
Rock n Roll dancing also includes Strolling, where (mainly) women dance in a formation similar to line dancing, and Jiving, which is for couples.