The Starlighters Dance Club July 2022

Did You Know? - Cruising is a social activity that primarily consists of driving a car. Cruising can be an expression of the freedom of possessing a driver's license. Cruising is distinguished from regular driving by the social and recreational nature of the activity, which is characterized by an impulsively random, often aimless course. A popular route (or "strip") is often the focus of cruising.

"Cruise nights" are evenings during which cars drive slowly. A cruise can be a meeting of car enthusiasts at a predetermined location, organized predominantly through the internet (in recent times) but also largely through mobile phone, word of mouth or simply by a cruise being established enough that it becomes a regular event.

Do You Remember:

• ankle-biter - a small child
• beatnik - a young person who's into the beat lifestyle (music, drugs, booze, etc.)
• back seat bingo - making out in the back seat of a car
• bada** - a tough guy
• bash ears - talk too much
• bird dog - someone who tries to steal your girlfriend
• circled - married
• curtain climbers - small children
• dolly - a cute girl
• dreamboat - a really cute guy
• fast - person who quickly allowed dating relationships to become physical
• greaser - a guy who used a lot of hair grease; a tough guy in general
• hipster - someone who is cool and with the times
• paper shaker - cheerleader
• party pooper - someone who's not fun to be around
• queen - a popular girl
• square - a person who conforms to traditional norms
• stacked - a woman with an ample bosom
• supermurgitroid - cool or "with it"
• wet rag - someone who is boring or who puts a damper on others' fun

Did You Know? - There is no clear-cut date when casual driving turned into cruising along a specific route, although it generally began in the years after World War II with youths of Mexican heritage driving lowriders in Southern California towns, and it rapidly became a popular teenage activity.

Cruising culture was an evolution of old traditions of strolling down Main Street or around the town square. Although cruising was predominantly boys showing off their cars (ostensibly to meet girls), groups of girls joined in cruising as well. One appeal of cruising was that youths could evade the supervision of parents and family.

Did You Know? - The skirt originated in 1947 in the United States, designed by Juli Lynne Charlot. The idea for the skirt began as Charlot needed a last-minute Christmas skirt. With little money and little ability to sew, she made the seamless skirt herself out of felt. As Charlot's skirt caught on, she was asked to make a dog-themed skirt, as dogs were popular.

Movie stars commonly wore this skirt, and it featured widely in magazines and advertising, and many were eager to keep up with Hollywood's fashions, adding to its popularity. The skirt proved most popular with teenage girls, and in 1952 mail-order catalogs dedicated to poodle skirts were made. Known as the "first teenage fashion trend", these skirts were perfect for dancing. It could also be said that the skirt's ability to be customized led to its success with teenagers, as it reflected individual personalities.

Did You Know? - Did You Know? The Pontiac Firebird is an American automobile built and produced by Pontiac from 1967 to 2002. Designed as a pony car to compete with the Ford Mustang, it was introduced on February 23, 1967, five months after GM's Chevrolet division's platform-sharing Camaro. This also coincided with the release of the 1967 Mercury Cougar, Ford's upscale, platform-sharing version of the Mustang.

The first generation Firebird had characteristic Coke bottle styling shared with its cousin, the Chevrolet Camaro. Announcing a Pontiac styling trend, the Firebird's bumpers were integrated into the design of the front end, giving it a more streamlined look than the Camaro. The 1966–1967 Pontiac GTO inspired the Firebird's rear "slit" taillights.

Both a two-door hardtop and a convertible were offered through the 1969 model year. Initially, the car was a "consolation prize" for Pontiac, who had desired to produce a two-seat sports car based on its original Banshee concept car. However, GM feared this would cut into Chevrolet Corvette sales and gave Pontiac a piece of the "pony car" market by sharing the F-body platform with Chevrolet.