An outline of Double Dutch is celebrated on this date's Registry. Double Dutch, fun and great exercise! (554 hits)

October 21

Double Dutch is historically a jump rope game played by black children (mainly girls) in rural and urban areas in America. The first concrete evidence of jump rope activity can be seen in medieval paintings where children roll hoops and jump rope down the cobblestone streets of Europe. Although the exact origin of jump rope activity is unclear, early explorers observed from their expeditions aborigines jumping with flexible bamboo and vines as a form of play. Jump rope activity can be traced back to 1600 A.D. when the Egyptians used vines for jumping. At one time, rope skipping was thought of only as a game for little girls who chanted rhymes while jumping and has from boys' perspective, traditionally had been looked at as a girl's game.

After World War II, Double Dutch was found on the sidewalks of New York City, where mothers and neighbors could safely supervise children. The girls used clothesline rope. By the late 1950s, a number of municipal and societal factors had made the game nearly extinct. Never extinguished, Double Dutch has been back on the streets and has moved into international competition in the last quarter century. Basically, players jump over a rope... Experienced jumpers can make the game more challenging by hopping on one foot, bouncing a ball, picking up and putting down a stone in between jumps, or jumping high enough for the rope to pass twice before they land. They can also add styles and tricks such as pop-ups, mambos, and around the world. Beyond the fun and play, Double Dutch is great exercise.

Reference:
The African American Atlas
Black History & Culture an Illustrated Reference
by Molefi K. Asanta and Mark T. Mattson
Macmillam USA, Simon & Schuster, New York
ISBN 0-02-864984-2

http://www.aaregistry.com/detail.php?id=19...


Posted By: Jen Fad
Wednesday, October 21st 2009 at 2:59PM
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