Dances and Dancers

Handwritten note on the back of this real photo postcard: "Elwood Nettleton, age 11, as he looked at his dancing class reception, April 1911." Interestingly, a brief biography of Edward L. Nettleton in A Modern History of New Haven and Eastern New Haven County , Volume 2, by Everett Gleason Hill (New York: Clarke Publishing, 1918), pp. 321-22, mentions a son named Elwood: "Elwood T. Nettleton, the third son, was born in West Haven in 1899 and is now attending the Sanford School at Redding Ridge, Connecticut." Since Elwood T. Nettleton would have turned 12 years old sometime in 1911, it's possible that this is a photo of the same Elwood Nettleton taken prior to his birthday that year.

A photo of ruffles or frills for the Vintage Photos Theme Park. A couple in colonial costumes with the customary ruffles and frills. I'm not sure when or where this photo was taken, but perhaps they're dressed up to celebrate George Washington's Birthday . Or maybe they're accompanying Master Nettleton (below) to his dance recital.

A Vintage Photos Theme Park photo for the theme of gotta dance!—dancing of any type . This is an unused real photo postcard showing a couple dancing outside in the yard with an accordionist providing the music and another fellow watching the proceedings (see the full version of the card, which simply has white space on either side of the image). A number of houses and a water tower are visible in the distance beyond the fence, but there's no name on the tower or any other clues to identify the town. Finally, am I reading too much into things, or could the female dancer actually be a man dressed as a woman? If so, is it possible that the other dancer is a woman dressed as a man?

A photographer captured a scene of outdoor dancing and music making in this real photo postcard. For more information, see the cropped version of this image.

A real photo postcard showing a group of men dancing 'round the maypole.

Maypoles on May Day for the ABC Group (4/24/2017). Mouse over the image above to see close-ups of the maypole on the left and the maypole on the right . This real photo postcard shows the organized chaos of May Day festivities at a playground or schoolyard--location and date unknown, unfortunately--where two groups of students are dancing around two maypoles as other students and adults view the proceedings. Could this be a maypole dance competition between two classes or schools? Are the two groups racing to see who will be the first to finish weaving their ribbons around their maypole? It's not clear whether this is a competition, but it's interesting to note that older boys are holding up each maypole while girls wearing dark-colored skirts dance around one of them and girls in light-colored skirts dance around the other. Also, many of the boys standing in the background beyond the maypoles are wearing shirts emblazoned with the letter E, so I suppose it's possible that the clothes are athletic uniforms reflecting different classes or schools. In any case, even if we can't tell exactly what's going on, the image provides an intriguing glimpse at a May Day celebration from days gone by.

For more information, see the full version of this photo .

For more information, see the full version of this photo .

"The March, May 1914." A real photo postcard of a May Day march. A couple of guys with drums are leading the way, and a group of children are carrying a maypole rather than dancing around it. For a better view of the maypole marchers, mouse over the image above to see a cropped version .

For more information, see the full version of this real photo postcard.

"All Stars at Augustaville dance. Coleman caller. 1-21-'33." The musicians ("All Stars") and caller ("Coleman," with megaphone) for a dance that evidently took place in Augustaville, Pennsylvania, in 1933.

A let's dance photo for the Vintage Photos Theme Park. This is a real photo postcard showing the winners of promoter George L. Ruty's "walkathon," which was held at White City Park, an amusement park located near Pottsville, Pennsylvania, in 1934. Walkathons were related to dance marathons , and both involved endurance contests that required participants to walk, dance, and perform other tasks over the course of days, weeks, or months in order to win cash and prizes. Spectators paid an admission fee to see the proceedings and often attended regularly to find out how well their favorite individual or couple was doing in the contest (fans could purchase photos of each couple, too--see below for Mary O'Connor and Charlie Cucci's , for instance). Some contestants made the rounds of different walkathons and dance marathons, and a few became popular locally or nationally. Frank Loveccio, who's wearing a striped shirt and suspenders and is standing third from left in the photo above, eventually parlayed his walkathon and dance marathon appearances into a wildly successful singing, songwriting, and acting career under the name of Frankie Laine (see below for another group photo that shows Frank Loveccio/Frankie Laine during his dance marathon days). Prize Winning Couples, Geo. L. Ruty's Walkathon, White City Park, 1934 Team #21 - Mickey Sheehan, Itsy Bachrach Team #10 - Frank Loveccio, Frances Leonard Team #29 - Aaron Sinton, Bobbie Smith M.C. - Phil Murphy Team #6 - Eleanor Johnson, Ralph Stanside Team #9 - Mary O'Connor, Charlie Cucci Judge - Fred Clifford

"Dancingly Yours, Mary O'Connor, Chas. Cucci, Team #9." This real photo postcard is one of a series of photos that was used to promote George L. Ruty's "walkathon" (a contest similar to a dance marathon), which was held at White City Park, an amusement park located near Pottsville, Pennsylvania, in 1934. For another photo taken in front of the same bandstand, see Prize-Winning Couples, Ruty's Walkathon, White City Park, Pottsville, Pa., 1934 .

"Rosie Fink, Frank Loveccio, Ann Molash, Stanley Forte, Bobby Smith, Carolyn Ramos, Jimmie Barrett, Jo-Jo Delago, Muggsy Hurley." A real photo postcard of dance marathon contestants, date and location unknown. Frank Loveccio, second from left, later became famous as a singer and actor under the name Frankie Laine . For another group photo that includes Frank Loveccio/Frankie Laine, see Prize-Winning Couples, Ruty's Walkathon, White City Park, Pottsville, Pa., 1934 .

A Vintage Photos Theme Park photo for the theme of Twist or Shout - people dancing with some amount of vigor—extra credit for twisting . Stamped on the back of this real photo postcard: "Erinnerung an den Bayr. Abend im Café Bauer, Garmisch." Translation: "Memento of the Bavarian evening at the Café Bauer, Garmisch." For another photo from the same establishment, see Mugging for the Camera at Café Bauer, Garmisch

An at the wedding (but not the bride or groom) photo for the Vintage Photos Theme Park. Printed on the back of this photo: "Kodacolor Print, Sept. 68" (at least I think it's 1968--the date is a little smudged).

"Rosenbloom Brothers, successors to E. J. Beane, 186 to 190 Westminster St., Providence. Copyright by James B. Harrison, 1882."

Dance card, front and back cover. See also the inside pages for the Programme and Engagements (below). "Erster Grosser Ball des Harrisburg Mænnerchor in Shakespeare Hall, am Oster Montag Abend, den 10ten April '82." Translation: First Big Ball of Harrisburg Mænnerchor in Shakespeare Hall, on Easter Monday evening, the 10th of April '82. "Floor managers. Chief--Wm. Lawser. H. Wagner, John Brown, Jos. Schaleur."