Twist, The - A popular dance craze championed by its creator Chubby Checker (a.k.a. Ernest Evans rechristened "Chubby Checker" by Dick Clark's wife) who performed his song "The Twist" and his accompanying gyrations on a variety of television programs including the 10/22/61 installment of the CBS variety program THE ED SULLIVAN SHOW.

The dance reportedly had its birth in New York City at the nightclub called The Peppermint Lounge, where celebrities such as Zsa Zsa Gabor twisted the night away. The lounge was located in the Knickerbocker Hotel on 128 West 45th Street.

The Peppermint Lounge house band, Joey Dee & the Starliters recorded the "Peppermint Twist" and were featured in the "Hey, Let's Twist (1961) a minor film about the rise of this popular nightspot.

TRIVIA NOTE: Hank Ballard wrote and first recorded "The Twist" with the Midnighters in 1959 (the flip-side of "Teardrops On Your Letter"). It wasn't until Chubby Checker's version included dance step lyrics in the song that it became a hit.

The Ronettes regularly performed a song-and-dance "Twist" routine at the Peppermint Lounge before they were discovered by Phil Spector.

Margaret Sierra and the cast of SURFSIDE 6

Margaret Sierra as Cha Cha O'Brien, a Latin dancer in the "Boom Boom Room" on the detective drama SurfSide 6/ABC/1960-62 inspired a Warner Brothers record release "The Cha Cha Twist" in the early 1960s.

In 1962, Clint Eastwood danced the Twist on the episode "Clint Eastwood Meets Mister Ed" on the sitcom MISTER ED/CBS/1961-65.

Other dance crazes to follow included the Swim, the Frug, the Hully Gully, the Boogaloo, the Hitchhike, the Hucklebuck, the Mouse, the Monkey, the Watusi, the Pony and the Jerk.