WHEREAS, Philadelphia has a rich history and tradition of dance that stretches from dance halls to living rooms throughout the City; and
WHEREAS,
While the City of Brotherly Love and Sisterly Affection has a strong influence on the culture of dance it has yet to name an official dance; and
WHEREAS, The Bop is one dance that has had an influence on every neighborhood of our great City; and
WHEREAS, Back in the day, and still today for that matter, you could tell what section of Philadelphia a dancer was from because of their style of the Bop; and
WHEREAS, While the Bop is mainly eight (8) counts with a hip-twisting, body swaying, double rhythm style,
there are different versions from North Philadelphia, South Philadelphia, West Philadelphia, and versions that represent all areas of the City; and
WHEREAS, A number of famous songs are associated with the dance including: Bop Till You Drop, Be-Bop-A-Lula Boppin' Shoes Boppin' and Moppin' and the Be Bop Boogie; and
WHEREAS, Given the strong historical connection to Philadelphia and its' residents, from working class folks to business people that know and love to Bop, the time has come to name the Bop as the Official Dance of Philadelphia, now therefore
RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, That we hereby proclaim the Bop as the Official Dance of Philadelphia.
FURTHER RESOLVED,
That an Engrossed copy of this resolution be presented to Odunde for all of their hard work and dedication in preserving the rich history of dance in Philadelphia, and in particular, the Bop.
End