The Mashed Potato dance has little to nothing to do with food, like most of its contemporary dances with a strong influence and unexpectedly goofy names.
It was a dance craze that peaked in 1962, sometimes still remembered, mentioned, and executed in a few later pieces.
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Origin of Mashed Potato Dance
Both the song and the dance move were popularized with the credits going to James Brown. He was an American musician, singer, and dancer whose nicknames were as elaborate as “Godfather of Soul”, “The Hardest-Working Man in Show Business”, and “Mr. Dynamite”.
James Brown invented the dance and recorded the matching song in 1959, yet he continued to feature it in his concerts throughout the early 1960s.
The dance craze inspired other artists to release similar songs, for example, “Mashed Potato Time” by Dee Dee Sharp. People who had been through the trends in this era would feel the similarity between this movie and Chubby Checker’s “The Twist”.
After being mentioned in “Do You Love Me”, a global hit by The Contours, the Mashed Potato dance started to gain worldwide recognition too.
A few other references to it include “Let’s Dance” (Chris Montez), “Land of a Thousand Dances” & “Having a Party” (Sam Cooke), and “Harry the Hairy Ape” (Ray Stevens) alongside several relevant songs.
Mashed Potato is believed to be the inspiration for the hit “Monster Mash” (Bobby Pickett) as they share the same footwork, yet the Monster variation differs in arm and hand gestures.
“The Toxic Waltz” (Exodus) was another piece inspired by Mash Potato.
How To Do The Mashed Potato Dance
Now that you know where this dance came from, it’s time to try and get the steps going! It is so simple that everyone can quickly grasp the flow, which might have contributed to its popularity as well.
- You can start from a normal standing position with your heels touching each other and your toes pointing outward.
- Step one foot backward, and make sure it is still very close to your front foot.
- Shift your weight to the ball of your active foot and swivel its heel forward.
- Repeat the same motion with the other foot and keep going for as long as you want.
Some variations feature no backward steps, so it will look like you are leaning from side to side. If you deem it suitable, you can also add your arms and hips to the routine.
The Mashed Potato dance is available for a separate performance as well as an addition to a more styled choreography. It might not be for everyone. But even people who are afraid of looking funny or silly are still in love with it.
Music & Songs
The dances inspired a certain number of artists to write and record relevant songs, some of which became extremely popular.
We can take some examples of “(Do the) Mashed Potatoes” (Nat Kendrick ft. the Swans, voiced by “King” Carlton Coleman), “Mashed Potato Time” & “Gravy (For My Mashed Potatoes)” (Dee Dee Sharp), or “Mashed Potatoes U.S.A” (James Brown), of course.
Australian music revived the dance once again with a 1964 version of Mashed Potato (Billy Thorpe & the Aztecs). It even had a French track named C’est le mashed potatoes in the 1960s (Johnny Hallyday).
Check more: Rumba Dance: History, Variations, Step & Music
Final Words
That was everything you need to know about the Mash Potato dance, as well as the cultural references to it!
There is no dress code for those who want to put their dance shoes on and give it a try. It is still as good for a collective activity as it used to be in the 1960s.