Fun fact - did you know...

That the limbo originated as an event that took place at wakes in Trinidad and Tobago?  Here is a glimpse of its origins:
Time Frame

• The limbos dates back to the mid to late 1800s in Trinidad. It achieved mainstream popularity during the 1950s.
  *The Limbo dance originated as an event that took place at wakes in Trinidad and Tobago, and was popularized by dance pioneer Julia Edwards (known as the First Lady of Limbo) and her company, which appeared in several films, in particular “Fire Down Below”[1] (1957), and toured internationally in the 1960s and beyond. A film “Julia and Joyce”[2] was released in 2010 by Trinidadian/American dance researcher/choreographer Sonja Dumas, and features the evolution of the Limbo and the contribution of Julia Edwards to the explosion of its popularity.
  *Source: wikipedia

Cultural Significance

• The version of the limbo performed in nineteenth century Trinidad was meant to symbolize slaves entering the galleys of a slave ship, or a spirit crossing over into the afterworld, or “limbo.”

Misconceptions

• Contrary to popular belief, the limbo did not originate in Hawaii.

Popularity in Music

• Jamaican music recorded in the 1950s helped to popularize the limbo. Songs such as “Limbo” by Lord Tickler and the Calypsonians, and “Limbo” by Denzil Laing and the Wrigglers were ready-made for limbo dancing. In 1962, Chubby Checker released the song “Limbo Rock.”

The Limbo Today

• Today the limbo remains a popular dance, particularly at Caribbean resorts and hotels, as well as on cruise ships, where a prize is commonly awarded to the last dancer to successfully cross under the stick.

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