Dancing for eels

This activity is depicted in a number of folk paintings, and is described in Thomas F. De Voe’s 1862 The Market Book.

[citation needed] According to Thomas de Voe's description, dancing for eels was a popular practice at Catherine Market, which in the 19th century was a destination place for African-American slaves from Long Island who would bring to the market berries, herbs, fish, clams and oysters in order to make a few shillings.

Modern rap and hip-hop performance also contain traces of gestural continuity from the New York street dancers, which, for example, can be observed in MC Hammer’s using the Market Step in his video U Can't Touch This: a knees open, heel-to-toe rock, often accompanied by one or both hands overhead.

This move traces back to Dancing for Eels 1820 Catherine Market, one of the folk drawings depicting the old competition.

These forms of entertainment grew into routines that featured singing, dancing, and humor for more on stage acts performed by professions.