New York Hustle

by James Religa

The definitive disco hustle dance. Generally, if someone is dancing hustle, they are dancing NY Hustle. The dance has evolved greatly over the years, through at least 6 major changes. The earliest version (1975?) looks like it was developed by women doing the woman's part in West Coast Swing. Originally it was a 6-count dance, then changed to 3 count about 1980. About 1980 the dance had a rock- step in it, but that was changed to a together-forward about 1982. Many people believe they are doing NY hustle, but they are doing older versions of it. Dance teachers often teach the obsolete versions. Originally, NY Hustle was a catch-all name, and some versions of it were identical to some versions of Latin Hustle. By about 1983, the other versions of hustle had faded away, and what was left we called NY Hustle. (I literally mean we - there were only a few of us who kept the dance alive through the 1980's in the San Francisco bay area). The original count was &1 2 3 &4 5 6. It is now just &1 2 3. There are a few patterns which are &1 2 3 &4, or &1 2 &3 4. The count is not, and has never been, 1 2 &3, or 1 &2 3. All the leads start on the & step, so what sense does it make to start the lead half- way through the pattern?