After being commissioned by a music shop, we designed two musicians. Both figures date from the period around 1920 - the so-called Charleston period. They were part of a really eye-catching display.

The Charleston is a dance style of African influence started during black slavery in America. During the 1920's, women that did the Charleston were called "Flappers" because of the way they would flap their arms and walk like birds while dancing. Many men wore raccoon coats and straw hats.

Not everyone had good luck with the Charleston. Many non-dancing jobs of the day required you to be competent to dance or teach the Charleston in order to get work. Some waiters and waitresses would have to do the Charleston during their job. Others saw the Charleston and flappers as the downfall to many moral issues of the day.

Click here for more pictures of the mannequins of this project.