Chubby Checker - The Twist (1960)
5Note that this is the original Chubby Checker hit single version, but that I added 25 more seconds by repeating a refrain. I did this for film editing purposes.
In this case the focus is "The Snob," an educational drama short produced by Centron Productions in 1958 and directed by Herk Harvey, who also directed the 1962 feature film (his only one) Carnival Of Souls. A few other Centron shorts were also used. Centron largely used local acting talent from Lawrence, Kansas, and students from Lawrence High School or the University of Kansas.
Until people saw how the dance was actually performed on TV, it is likely it was danced like jitterbug (like the opening scene). However, in little time "The Twist" would revolutionize dancing in a way that would influence later dancing crazes. It was the first dance craze where the partners did not touch. Chubby Checker's "The Twist" peaked at #1 on Billboard's Hot 100 on September 18, 1960.