The Wicked Waltz and Other Scandalous Dances Popular social dances can reveal a lot about the lifestyle, culture, and social class of the people who perform them. The kicks, turns, twists, and other subtle nuances of each dance reflect and represent particular periods of a cultures history while, at the same time, profoundly influencing that cultures fashion, music, and use of leisure time. This book investigates the historical development and importance of several popular dance crazes from the 19th and early 20th centuries, evaluating in particular how their very existence as taboo cultural fads led to initial outrage while ultimately providing a catalyst for lasting social reform.