DeVil Doin’ the Dog 60’s Line Dance How To

I once heard that villainesses were just princesses left in customer service too long. For miss DeVil it was dog trauma in the new movie Cruella. So, what dance would the princess of fashion industry do? Why, the dog of course! Join Mrs. DeVil doin’ the Dog 60’s line dance today!

Cruella DeVil:

Cruella was a combination of haughty women in the 1960’s. Author Dodie Smith penned her name from cruel and evil to come up with Cruella DeVil. For the animated film 101 Dalmatians she was modeled after voice actress Betty Lou Gerson, character actress Mary Wickes, and movie star Tallulah Bankhead. Mrs Bankhead was renowned for her drawn on high arching eyebrows, and for tearing around in her Bentley automobile.

The 2021 Cruella is the princess of 1970 London fashion. She has a traumatic experience with Dalmatians causing her to be afraid of them. This does not stop her from adopting her favorite dog friend. She is sure to have danced the 60’s hit dance, “The Dog.”

Doin’ the Dog:

The 1960’s were full of a new age of animal dances. There was the monkey, the pony, the funky chicken, and of course, the dog. Vaudeville comedian and tap dancer Rufus Thomas wrote and recorded this 1963 hit. He described himself as “the world’s oldest teenager.” The song was so popular it was mentioned in the lyrics of “C’mon and Swim.”

Doin’ The Dog Dance:

According to Sixties City the dog is danced, “With feet slightly apart, crouch down with arms bent and fists clenched. Move body and arms backward and forward with the beat. Jerk clenched fists over shoulders alternately similar to Hitch Hike movement and jump to the left or right.” Working with this and some YouTube video of mature ladies demonstrating “the Dog” I put together a fun line dance that captures the essence of this 1960’s dance for miss DeVil.

Doin’ The Dog 60’s Line Dance How To:

Step 1 The Pony

Standing on left foot, step side right foot, rock forward left foot in front of right foot, replace weight to left foot, count 1&2. Repeat side left foot, rock forward right foot in front of left foot, replace weight to right foot, count 3&4. Repeat pony to the right and left for the counts of 5&6, 7&8

Step 2 Happy Puppy

Swing right foot diagonally forward and swing tail for count 1,2. Swing left foot diagonally forward and swing tail for count 3,4. Repeat to the right and left for the counts 5,6,7,8.

Step 3 Doin’ the Dog

With feet apart swing your tail side to side as you bend down toward the ground for the counts 1,2,3,4. Rise up for the counts 5,6. Jump up turning ¼ turn to the left for count 7. Clap hands for count 8.

Repeat from the top until the song concludes.

Our Location- the Historic Arapahoe County Courthouse:

We picked the historic Arapahoe County courthouse for the Dog. In 1904 Littleton won the vote to become the seat for Arapahoe county. By 1907 A.B, McDonald won the contract to build the courthouse, which was designed by English-trained architect John J. Huddart.

“The courthouse has numerous prominent architectural features that give it a grand appearance. The building sits on a raised basement, a technique used to allow additional natural light into the basement as well as emphasize the first-floor entry. The hipped roof was once clay tile, and the cupola is topped with decorative finials. The cupola windows are double hung with lattice in the upper portion of the sash. The curvilinear dormer parapets give the building its Mission Revival look. The courthouse’s overhanging eaves have stone support brackets at each corner with a plain frieze between vent windows. Corner pilasters extend from the top of the basement level to the bottom of the frieze. Quoins appear at the corners of the basement level.”

“The second story fenestration includes windows with clathri transoms and individual sills. The window pattern and design is repeated on the first floor with a stone sill course and stone keystones distinguishing them from the second story.” This building dominates the Littleton skyline and is a vital element of the downtown scene. The building continues to serve as the Littleton Municipal Courthouse.

Costumes:

Special thanks to our family for Cruella and Anita’s costumes. My grandmother Sylvia Loraine Smith left me her white faux fur coat and this advice. Learn to sing, it could keep you fed. She made a living as as singer in the 20’s -30’s. Craig’s Aunt Nelle left me the black Cruella dress and the Brown and pink dress made by Craig’s grandmother Francis for Nelle while she was Miss Trinidad Colorado from 1947-1952.

Song:

“The Dog” sung by Otis Redding.

Cast:

Cruellla DeVil– Holly Tomazin

Horace-Craig Tomazin

Anita– Holly Tomazin

Rodger-Craig Tomazin

Holly Tomazin
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