I used to dance on the original Bandstand before Dick Clark took over the show. It was called the Bob Horn Bandstand. It was the early 50s in Philly and I was in high school. I think it was the 2nd or 3rd show when I started going. Believe it or not, at that time, the show looked like a Black blue light basement party because our crowd would take over the floor when we showed up.

Everyday after school, we would head for the tv studio which was near my high school - West Philly High.Black kids from Overbrook High would come also. For the most part, the White kids from West Catholic and Roman Catholic, etc. were intimidated when we got on the floor. They wouldn't get up unless the bunny hop was playing. Then my crowd all sat down.

We would do dances like the slop, bop, slow drag and the grind, which originated in the Black dance halls of South Philly. The grind was a very sexy dance that you did on a slow record. I know the producers found it embarrassing.

After awhile, the producers decided that they wanted to change the image of the show, so they created a new policy. To get in the studio, boys must be wearing a suit jacket and tie. Since no black students went to school dressed like that, we couldn't get in anymore. The White kids had no problem with the new dress code. We stopped going and so did the Black girls, for the most part.

Not long after that, there was a big scandal. Bob Horn was involved in some kind of an affair with one of the White female students. He was fired and Dick Clark was brought in do the show. I thought you might like another perspective from an ORIGINAL Bandstander.