Nickel-Hopper’s

 

Nickel-hopper of the 1920’s

 DO YOU KNOW WHAT A TAXI DANCER IS?

  

I didn’t. Not until I did some research. They are women who were paid for the length of one song much like a taxi driver is paid for the length of a taxi ride.

These dancer’s were nicknamed ‘nickel-hoppers’ because the price of a ticket was normally ten cents and on average the dancer’s were commissioned a nickel per dance by the establishment. The more they danced, Ching Chang, the more cash they made. 

Imagine yourself as one of these dancer’s

The patrons (Men) who would pay the price a of ten cents for a dance with a pretty girl/woman were from all ethnic groups of the big cities and beyond who were often not allowed in other dancing establishments. The color of your skin didn’t matter as long as you could purchase a ticket.

During the roaring 20’s many people were starving and homeless in the big cities like New York, Chicago and San Francisco. I would guess when you’re young, starving or have a family to help feed you would ‘pull up your ‘big girl panties’ and do whatever was needed to survive. Some girls offered more than a dance to the patrons giving the dance halls, which were often dance academies, a bad reputation. I don’t like to judge, but I can imagine what a problem that caused.

35,000 to 50,000 men a week of all colors, sizes, and social status would pay to dance in these hall’s. 

Why? 

Because these dance hall’s didn’t turn anyone away. You heard me right the men could be;

1) filthy rich or dirt poor

2) a hundred pounds over weight or as skinny as a tooth picket

3) Fugitives from the law 

4) Disabled and or mentally challenged men

5) Old men with one foot in the grave or young men with barely a foot out of the baby carriage

6) Some were just lonely widowed men who needed an evening out to still feel alive

7) Emigrants

8) Young boisterous men or many times groups of them

All were allowed to enter however the management reserved the right to remove any undesirables off the dance floor by returning the price of the ticket. In other words they had to behave. 

During the Great Depression most of the halls were closed down. A handful of new dance hall’s took there place. They were called “Closed Dance Hall” basically, the girls would be paid to dance with men in smaller groups behind closed doors.

I found a lot of information on nickel-hoppers and a few books and movies out on the web I want to read and watch in the near future. I came up with a few good story ideas as well. Lol, my imaginative mind never gets a real break. It spins round and round to places close and far but it continues to spin.

I imagine a tall dark handsome cowboy walking through the door and falling in love with a sad, half starved young widow with three children who could sure use a helping hand.

(This picture above is one of my new fun coasters I bought recently.)

Thank you for joining me here today on Cowboy Kisses! I hope you’ll be back in March! Until then I wish you happiness mixed with kindness for all you meet.