The Jit Story ©
by Haleem “Stringz” Rasul
Published: Floppy Poppy Widy Matter | Switzerland | Sept. 2017
The Jit is a dance originating from the City of
Detroit. Characterized by combustion of intricate, high energy footwork, kicks,
wiggles, shuffles, and arm syncopations that can be taken to the floor in order
to create an even more dynamic aesthetic. As an urban dance, the history of the
Jit is closely comparable to that of the History of Breakin’, the original hip
hop dance. Both are creative expressions that spawned out of the funk era and
landed in the inner city streets of the United States. They both, in that
sense, reflected the conditions those minority communities found themselves in
at the time. While Breakin’ emerged in park jams in the Bronx, the Jit was
birthed by Detroiters at night, under the streetlights, and at basement parties.
As stated in “The Jitterbugs: Pioneers of the Jit”, the 2014 documentary I directed, “There’s a common misconception that the Jit originated from the 1920s, namely due to the similarity in name with the popular swing dance and style of the “jitterbug.” Although both dances stem from a sense of losing control and contain intricate steps and repetitions, one was not birthed from the other. Indeed, in Detroit around the 1970’s, the word ‘Jitterbug’ actually became street lingo for ‘criminal’. It was during that time that the three McGhee brothers adopted the name ‘Jitterbugs’ for their dance group on the West side of Detroit. “Jitterbug was associated with crime, and I’m not ashamed to say it - we were criminals in that respect,” explains Johnny McGhee in the documentary.
Motown legend Kim Weston eventually found out about the Jitterbugs and began to mentor them by taking them off the streets and onto the stage. This major transition in the brothers’ lives provided them with many opportunities to perform, which resulted, in turn, in the instilment of a lasting legacy behind this genre of dance. “Kim put us in the program, Festival of the Performing Arts,” said middle brother Tracy McGhee in “Pioneers of the Jit”. “That’s where we had places to perform and people to perform in front of… people would see us and say, those are the cats that be Jitting.” The Jitterbugs, in effect, accumulated a massive collection of trophies from all the dance competitions they had won. They also received much exposure from special highlighted performances that featured on “The Scene”, a popular local dance television broadcast.
Adding to these successes, the Jitterbugs also made music contributions. For one, they regularly performed with a popular local music band called The Boone Brothers. They were also known for their hit song “Party People Throw Down”. As can be heard in the lyrics, “And here to cut the rug are the Jitterbugs and dancing is their thang, gang bang!”, this particular song was about the Jitterbugs and their signature dance style.
At the pinnacle of their dancing careers, the
Jitterbugs landed a yearly touring opportunity during the 1980s performing at
various auto shows throughout United States. The three brothers would perform
up to 8 times a day traveling all throughout the United States, while
simultaneously showcasing their homegrown dance to the entire nation.
The Jitterbugs always maintained a strong sense of ownership over
their dance. During their rise, the Jitterbugs
began to notice dance acts similar to theirs surfacing, which left them feeling
resentful. This led to the group’s self-proclaimed announcement that eventually
became their tag line before performing: “We are the originators, not the
imitators!” “At that time, it wasn’t good to steal a jitterbug step”, said the
oldest brother James McGhee in the documentary - thus implying that there would
be consequences and repercussions to pay if anyone was caught stealing their
moves.
The Jitterbugs’ key
foundational steps, which were the object of imitation, included, the walk,
jazzy, strikes and drops. These steps were often complimented by the funk and
soulful rhythms of the 1970’s. Yet, while the Jitterbugs laid the foundation
for the dance and were able to popularize it across the City and beyond, the
dance did not remain static for long, as other groups and influences
contributed to its development.
On the Eastside of Detroit, an infamous gang
called the Errol Flynns had developed a similar footwork identity to that of
the Jitterbugs, but had incorporated to this footwork, unique hand and arm
motions that became their personal signature on the dance floors. Whenever they
appeared as a group in public, the Errol Flynns would make their presence known
through their hand movements, which caused a deep sense of intimidation to
their rivals.
On the far Westside of the city limits, from an
area called Inkster, a group known as the Funkateers created a similar footwork
style and began to fuse popping and locking motions, which allowed them to
carve their own path and legacy in the dance world. Not only did they win
several competitions and get spotlighted multiple times on The Scene, they also
took first place on Dance Fever, a popular nationally televised dance
competition.
Music, of course, had a significant influence
over the dance’s trajectory and development as well. By the turn of the 1980s,
the Detroit Techno sound began to take over the music scene, and in turn,
influenced the classical Jit movement and pace that the three brothers had established.
While the Jitterbugs danced to the funky sounds of George Clinton and the
Average White Band, the techno beats of Juan Atkins and the like would require
that the Jit become faster and more complex.
Thus, by the 1980s, the Jit was no longer just a
dance the Jitterbugs were performing. From the Eastside to the Westside of the
City, Detroiters just seemed to naturally gravitate toward footwork. Therefore,
as time passed, it is not surprising that Jit became an
adaptable art form that crossed over into the many artistic outlets that
existed within Detroit.
For instance, Jit most prominently entered the
exotic male dance club scene in the city sometime during the 1980s. These
spaces were equivalent to strip clubs, but for female audiences. With competition
high amongst groups and individuals to outperform each other, these dancers
tested the limits of Jit, particularly in terms of speed. Of course, faster steps required faster
music, and in this way, the genre that would later become known as “Ghetto Tech”,
can trace its roots back to the clubs and the dancers that needed new sounds to
perform their evocative routines.
The Jit became a huge hit in these clubs and over
time it dominated demand at such notable venues as Henry’s Palace and Watts.
During this period, dancers added flamboyant hand and hip movements to please
their female audiences, developing what Detroiters know as ‘freak moves.’ These
moves would eventually become part of the standard Jit lexicon.
As the 1990s rolled on, the Jit entered a sort of
golden era. The dance remained popular both inside and outside clubs. It was
common to see the Jit performed at high school dances, cabarets, and outdoor
parties. Perhaps no other group was more responsible for setting the standard
of showmanship during this time than the Mad Dancers. According to many, this group cemented the
style of Jit that remains prevalent to this day. This era, then, ultimately set
the new precedent for what the dance would look and feel like on and off stage
to the present.
Today, within a 1-minute performance, one is able
to see all of the various generational influences mixing and matching into a
marvelous story telling spectacle. The Jit has pretty much separated from its
criminal past, with the exception of minor Eastside and Westside rivalries. One
can, however, still see the traces of the Jitterbugs original steps and style
hidden between the movements of the modern adaptation.
The dance continues to thrive in the valleys and
mountains of resurgence and rediscovery. Thanks in part to streaming
technologies, social media and dedicated dancers committed to its preservation
and development, the Jit has a bright future and will remain a Detroit
original.
