BOSTON—According to a survey published Wednesday by historians at Boston University, more than 85 percent of Americans are unfamiliar with the upbeat, traditional dance routine intended to accompany the singing of the national anthem.
Once taught in the nation's elementary schools, showcased at the start of all sporting events, and included as part of the exam for new U.S. citizens, the patriotic kicks, dips, waves, and twirls from "The Star-Spangled Banner" have nearly vanished from the public consciousness over the past century, the study found.
In the original choreography of Francis Scott Key, the lawyer and vivacious dancer who also penned "The Star-Spangled Banner," singers begin the second line of the song by holding a salute while marching in place. Then, when "Whose broad stripes" is sung, they jump into a slightly wider than shoulder-width stance, put a hand on their hip, and slowly point across the horizon, pantomiming Key's view the morning of Sept. 14, 1814, when he awoke to see the U.S.
In 1931, when it became clear the elaborate semaphore flag routine performed to 'O! Say does that star-spangled banner yet wave' had gone out of style, Herbert Hoover signed a resolution replacing it with a peppy jazz square, which was thenceforth known as the "Hoover Shuffle.""What has sadly eluded nearly everyone's memory is not only these changes, but also the all-important grand finale during the routine's emotional climax," O'Neill said.
"On one hand, I suppose it's unfortunate the majority of U.S. citizens are not aware of the rich tradition of movement that informs our expressions of patriotism," he continued, adding that before long finding someone who can dance the national anthem might be as rare as meeting someone who knows his state's handshake. "But we also shouldn't forget there is still a small group of individuals working to keep those traditions alive.
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