DocLock
07-24-2008, 11:08 PM
Ask yo momma or ask yo daddy!!
Where was the place to be back in the late 70's to get your get down???
None other than CALIFORNIA HALL on Polk St in San Francisco.
You've heard of RADIOTRON? Well this was our version of that in SF and several years earlier!
It was a hall that was rented out and used as a "disco" for teenagers 16 and over. We couldn't get into the real clubs back then. There was hardly any 18 and over spots so this was a blessing for us.
On top of just being a place to dance (even had a disco ball - just one - one is all you need), THIS WAS the true CUTUP ZONE/BATTLE ZONE. THIS was where the rumors/gossip started of who was the sheeit and what groups whooped who's ass when!
Disco, soul, and FUNK was what you heard here. That was the music we'd dance to.
That was where you were left hanging and looking foolish dancing by yourself when a girl saw you even remotely start to bust out! Girls didn't like that back then. They were thinking, you wanna dance like that then do it by your own dammn self! Or go dance with the fellas then! Haha. (It wasn't that they didn't like it, it was just that if you're dancing with a lady then the attention should be on her.)
The main dance floor was a basement level hall room. The space was pretty large and you'd see a lot of people enjoying themselves. It was cooler than going to a school dance (one of our few other options).
CUTUPS would take place in all corners of the floor. Sometimes there'd be more than one cutup going down and you'd find yourself jumping between circles to catch a glimpse of who's doing what. - That's if you weren't one being called out - haha.
There were several occassions where the main auditorium upstairs was used for big talent shows. It was where I saw Close Encounters of the Funkiest Kind for the very first time. That was in early 1979. They danced to KRAFTWERK's TRANSEUROPE EXPRESS and the result was phenomenal. We (the audience) were completely stunned afterwards. Though we had known strutting and had routines down, CEFK brought it to a whole other level.
That same show was pretty awesome as it showcased a large number of other dance groups. But, because it was a talent show with one prize, it went ultimately to CEFK.
California Hall was open usually on Saturday nights but I recall some Fridays too. There was a time I was afraid it would close down because some of the cutup situations led to actual fights that carried outside.
Fortunately, it never got to that level because I remember it still was around even after I was into other things besides dancing. In fact, there was a big event in the 80's, sort of a reunion event with a lot of strutters.
I was living in Concord already and was coaching kids in doing these dances (around the time of that zoot suit strutter video I'm in - early to mid 80's). I had taken a few of them with me to check out that show and got into a locking cutup/battle right there in the lobby - haha. The other dudes dancing were doing dirty tricks with their moves (crotch grabbing, you know-real dances) which was how I saw the breaking influence then. It took some control for me not to go off physically on them but I had younger kids with me so I restrained.
So folks, if you or your parents/family grew up in SF around that time mention CALIFORNIA HALL and come shake loose some of these fading brain cells of mine cause I'm sure there'll be some stories to tell.
:D:D
Where was the place to be back in the late 70's to get your get down???
None other than CALIFORNIA HALL on Polk St in San Francisco.
You've heard of RADIOTRON? Well this was our version of that in SF and several years earlier!
It was a hall that was rented out and used as a "disco" for teenagers 16 and over. We couldn't get into the real clubs back then. There was hardly any 18 and over spots so this was a blessing for us.
On top of just being a place to dance (even had a disco ball - just one - one is all you need), THIS WAS the true CUTUP ZONE/BATTLE ZONE. THIS was where the rumors/gossip started of who was the sheeit and what groups whooped who's ass when!
Disco, soul, and FUNK was what you heard here. That was the music we'd dance to.
That was where you were left hanging and looking foolish dancing by yourself when a girl saw you even remotely start to bust out! Girls didn't like that back then. They were thinking, you wanna dance like that then do it by your own dammn self! Or go dance with the fellas then! Haha. (It wasn't that they didn't like it, it was just that if you're dancing with a lady then the attention should be on her.)
The main dance floor was a basement level hall room. The space was pretty large and you'd see a lot of people enjoying themselves. It was cooler than going to a school dance (one of our few other options).
CUTUPS would take place in all corners of the floor. Sometimes there'd be more than one cutup going down and you'd find yourself jumping between circles to catch a glimpse of who's doing what. - That's if you weren't one being called out - haha.
There were several occassions where the main auditorium upstairs was used for big talent shows. It was where I saw Close Encounters of the Funkiest Kind for the very first time. That was in early 1979. They danced to KRAFTWERK's TRANSEUROPE EXPRESS and the result was phenomenal. We (the audience) were completely stunned afterwards. Though we had known strutting and had routines down, CEFK brought it to a whole other level.
That same show was pretty awesome as it showcased a large number of other dance groups. But, because it was a talent show with one prize, it went ultimately to CEFK.
California Hall was open usually on Saturday nights but I recall some Fridays too. There was a time I was afraid it would close down because some of the cutup situations led to actual fights that carried outside.
Fortunately, it never got to that level because I remember it still was around even after I was into other things besides dancing. In fact, there was a big event in the 80's, sort of a reunion event with a lot of strutters.
I was living in Concord already and was coaching kids in doing these dances (around the time of that zoot suit strutter video I'm in - early to mid 80's). I had taken a few of them with me to check out that show and got into a locking cutup/battle right there in the lobby - haha. The other dudes dancing were doing dirty tricks with their moves (crotch grabbing, you know-real dances) which was how I saw the breaking influence then. It took some control for me not to go off physically on them but I had younger kids with me so I restrained.
So folks, if you or your parents/family grew up in SF around that time mention CALIFORNIA HALL and come shake loose some of these fading brain cells of mine cause I'm sure there'll be some stories to tell.
:D:D