Putting on a Sock Hops, Part 1
Movies depicting the fifties and sixties often show shock hops with young men and women dancing to great music while wearing the latest fashion of their day. By the end of the sixties decade, however, they had almost completely disappeared. As many of those young people grew older, they wanted to relive their high school days, so sock hop themed parties have made a comeback.
Starting out in high school auditoriums, sock hop dances originated because teachers didn’t want their students, mostly the girls, scratching the wooden gym floors with their shoes. Teachers started asking students to take off their shoes and dance in their socks. Hence the name.
Kids would kick off their shoes and dance around and have fun in their socks, starting a new trend that would last for the better part of two decades.
The name sock hop, or soc hop, was soon a commonly heard name for teen parties. Teens during the 50s and 60s were brought together at these parties by their love of the new music appropriately called rock n roll. First parents thought the name was derogatory, but soon realized it was a description of dance moves taken on by some of the singers.
In many ways sock hops were a way for kids to escape from their troubles and get out and enjoy their friends and music. Occurring mostly in high school gymnasiums, they then moved to more private home parties and malt shops. Whenever they wanted a crowd to gather, they would promote a sock hop.
Like the young teens of the fifties and sixties, many people today love to relive these parties. Some like the theme, others the fifties and others the fashion. Whatever your reason, you are sure to have fun at a sock hop.