An elegant and stately dance created by African slaves on Caribbean and North American plantations, the cakewalk enjoyed a long history. During slavery, plantation owners judged the dance and the finest dancer was rewarded with a cake. It became the first African-American dance to become popular among whites. The cakewalk was features in several contexts including the minstrel show finale, early black musicals including Clorindy, or The Origin of the Cakewalk in 1898 and The Creole Show in 1899, and on ballroom floors thereafter. The cakewalk embodied an erect body with a quasi-shuffling movement that developed into a smooth walking step.

Further Reading:

Cohen, Selma Jeanne, ed. International Encyclopedia of Dance. New York, Oxford University Press, 1998.

Emery, Lynne Fauley. Black Dance in the United States from 1619 to 1970. Palo Alto, California, 1972.