# Madison (dance)

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The **Madison** is a [novelty dance](/source/Novelty_dance) that was popular in the late 1950s to mid-1960s.

## Description and history

It was created and first danced in [Columbus, Ohio](/source/Columbus,_Ohio), in 1957.[1] The local popularity of the dance and record in [Baltimore, Maryland](/source/Baltimore,_Maryland), came to the attention of the producers of *[The Buddy Deane Show](/source/The_Buddy_Deane_Show)* in 1960, which led to other dance shows picking it up.[2]

The Madison is a [line dance](/source/Line_dance) that features a regular back-and-forth pattern interspersed with [called](/source/Caller_(dancing)) steps. Its popularity inspired dance teams and competitions, as well as various recordings, and today it is still sometimes performed as a nostalgic dance. The Madison is featured in the [John Waters](/source/John_Waters_(filmmaker)) movie *[Hairspray](/source/Hairspray_(1988_film))* (1988), and it continues to be performed in the [Broadway](/source/Broadway_theatre) musical *[Hairspray](/source/Hairspray_(musical))*. Both the film and the musical feature one of many songs released during the Madison "craze" in the US.

The jazz pianist [Ray Bryant](/source/Ray_Bryant) recorded "Madison Time" for [Columbia Records](/source/Columbia_Records) in 1959.[3] *[Billboard](/source/Billboard_(magazine))* stated that "The footwork for the Madison dance is carefully and clearly diagrammed for the terpers."[4] The Ray Bryant version was the version featured in the film *Hairspray*. The other popular version was by Al Brown & The Tunetoppers. Another version was recorded by radio presenter [Alan Freeman](/source/Alan_Freeman) for [Decca Records](/source/Decca_Records) in 1962.

An example of an album featuring music for the Madison is *[The Madison Dance Party](/source/The_Madison_Dance_Party)* (1960) by [Al Brown's Tunetoppers](/source/Al_Brown's_Tunetoppers) with calls by Al Brown. It includes a song titled "The Madison" as well as several other songs to which the Madison can be danced, including "Madison Party", "Mo' Madison", "Madison Jr.", and "Madison Jam", among others.[5][6]

The Madison basic, danced in the film *Hairspray*, is as follows:

1. Step left forward
1. Place right beside left (no weight) and clap
1. Step back on right
1. Move left foot back and across the right
1. Move left foot to the left
1. Move left foot back and across the right

Called steps included the Double Cross, the Cleveland Box, The Basketball (with [Wilt Chamberlain](/source/Wilt_Chamberlain)), the Big "M", the "T" Time, the [Jackie Gleason](/source/Jackie_Gleason), the [Birdland](/source/Birdland_(jazz_club)), and [The Rifleman](/source/The_Rifleman). "The Jackie Gleason" is based on a tap dance movement known as "Shuffle Off to Buffalo".[7] Additional called sequences are: Two Up and Two Back, Big Boss Cross in Front, Make a "T", the Box, Cuddle Me, and Flying High. "Away We Go" may be the same as "The Jackie Gleason".[8]

[*Time*](/source/Time_(magazine)) magazine noted the Madison in April 1960.[9]

The Madison dance has become very popular in the Kingdom of [Cambodia](/source/Cambodia) and [Kampuchea Krom](/source/Khmer_Krom) (Mekong delta). It was introduced to Cambodia in the 1960s and remains a very popular dance at wedding banquets and other parties.[citation needed] The largest Madison dance in the world took place in [Siem Reap](/source/Siem_Reap), Cambodia, on 15 April 2023 during the [Cambodian New Year](/source/Cambodian_New_Year) celebrations.[10] The event, organized by the [Union of Youth Federations of Cambodia](/source/Union_of_Youth_Federations_of_Cambodia) (UYFC), involved 4,999 participants breaking their own previous record set in 2015 with 2,015 participants.[11]

## Examples in motion pictures

- The dance is performed by a large group in the original (non-musical) version of John Waters' [*Hairspray*](/source/Hairspray_(1988_film)) (1988).
- In *[Monsieur Ibrahim](/source/Monsieur_Ibrahim)* (2003), [Lola Naymark](/source/Lola_Naymark) does a Madison-like dance at 42 minutes and at 1 hour 18 minutes a group of Turkish youth appears to be doing a facsimile of the dance as well. The song by [Olivier Despax](/source/Olivier_Despax) and the Gamblers is featured.
- In *[The Go-Getter](/source/The_Go-Getter_(2007_film))* (2007), Lou Taylor Pucci, Zooey Deschanel and Jena Malone all dance the "Madison" as an homage to Godard's *Bande à part*.
- The film *[Le Week-End](/source/Le_Week-End)* (2013) ends with the main characters Nick and Morgan dancing in the midst of the café recreating the scene from *Bande à part*.
- Episode 3, "Other People, Other Rooms", of the Hulu miniseries *[11.22.63](/source/11.22.63)* (2016) (based on the 2011 Stephen King novel *[11/22/63](/source/11/22/63)*) features students and Sadie Dunhill doing The Madison.
- In the Netflix series *[Maniac](/source/Maniac_(miniseries))* (2018) episode 5, the characters played by Rome Kanda, Emma Stone, and Jonah Hill dance the Madison.

## Notes

1. [ColumbusMusicHistory.com](http://www.columbusmusichistory.com/html/madison_1.html)

1. Malnig, Julie (2008), [*Ballroom, Boogie, Shimmy Sham, Shake: A Social and Popular Dance Reader*](https://archive.org/details/ballroomboogiesh0000unse/page/192), University of Illinois Press, p. [192](https://archive.org/details/ballroomboogiesh0000unse/page/192), ISBN 978-0-252-07565-0

1. [Ray Bryant Catalog](https://www.jazzdisco.org/ray-bryant/catalog/#columbia-cl-1476) at jazzdisco.org

1. *[Billboard](/source/Billboard_(magazine))*, May 9, 1960, p. 44.

1. Edwards, David & Callahan, Mike (August 26, 2005), ["Amy Album Discography"](https://www.bsnpubs.com/bell/amy.html), retrieved 12 December 2009

1. ["The Madison"](http://www.columbusmusichistory.com/html/madison_1.html) at ColumbusMusicHistory.com

1. Ames, Jerry & Siegelman, Jim (1977), *The Book of Tap*, David McKay Company, Inc., ISBN 0-679-50615-2

1. Bulter, Albert and Josephine (1975), "Encyclopedia of Social Dance", New York, New York: Albert Bulter Ballroom Dance Service, pp. 242–244

1. ["The Jukebox: The Newest Shuffle"](https://web.archive.org/web/20101008095438/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,869454,00.html). [*Time*](/source/Time_(magazine)), April 4, 1960. Accessed 12 December 2009.

1. ["Largest Madison dance"](https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/largest-madison-dance). *Guinness World Records*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20231023060028/https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/largest-madison-dance) 2023-10-23 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2025-09-06.

1. ["Largest Madison dance"](http://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/largest-madison-dance). *Guinness World Records*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20180726134704/http://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/largest-madison-dance) 2018-07-26 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2025-09-06.

## External links

- [Columbus Music History](http://www.columbusmusichistory.com/html/madison_1.html) with definitive origin article
- [Article on origins](https://wallofsound.wordpress.com/2007/10/05/how-the-madison-and-the-twist-crossed-over/)
- [The Madison dance scene](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I6pOXjQLh7Y) from Godard's *Bande à part*
- [Group Dances of the 1950s](http://www.jitterbuzz.com/dance50.html) including description of the Madison
- [Newest Shuffle: The Madison. *Time* April 4, 1960.](https://web.archive.org/web/20101008095438/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,869454,00.html)

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Madison (dance)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Madison_(dance)) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Madison_(dance)?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.