Compiled and annotated by Lucky Parker, the 2CD set Dancin Party recollects those carefree days of record hops, big boss lines and ladies choices with a stunning selection of the genre s biggest hits and best-loved exponents. While it s undoubtedly the best-remembered 60s dance, The Twist really was just the toe-tapping tip of the Terpsichorean iceberg. Its popularity defied borders, classes and age groups as it wound around the globe leaving a trail of pinched nerves, slipped discs and happy osteopaths in its wake. First Lady Jackie Kennedy gave it the establishment seal of approval when she was photographed doing it at a White House bash and yet, for around five years prior to the British Invasion, the US charts were awash with dance craze discs, records whose catchy appeal meant they often registered in both the Pop and R&B charts. Fuelled by teen-orientated TV shows such as American Bandstand, regional dance fads came and went with dizzying speed, all of them marketed to youngsters eager to shake a tail feather and prove they were hip to the latest moves. Lest you be a wallflower it was time to take to the floor, saddle up and Pony or just Mess Around and Shimmy. The Waddle, The Pop Pie and The Roach may have faded as quickly as last night s prom corsage, but others like The Cha Cha Cha, The Shag (the state dance of South Carolina, in case you were wondering) and The Bossa Nova have proved more enduring. Featured artists include Chubby Checker, Dee Dee Sharp, Little Eva, Joey Dee, The Olympics and there are also hard-to-find cuts by The Dutones, Brice Coefield and The Miller Sisters. So get with, don t quit it - it s party time!