Java is a dance which was developed in France in the early part of the 20th century. The origin of its name is uncertain, but it probably evolved from the valse. Mainly performed in French bal-musette between 1910 and 1960, the dance was largely conceived due to popular demand for a new type of waltz. In particular, one which was easier, faster, more sensual, and would not require a dance hall as large as those typically used for waltzes. Java takes the form of a fast waltz, with the dancers dancing very close to one another, taking small steps to advance. Men will often place both their hands on their partner's buttocks while dancing. Naturally, this led some of the more respectable bal-musette dance halls banning java.

Titles

Georgius Georgius is a masculine given name, the Latin form of the Greek name Γεώργιος ''Georgios''; its English equivalent is ''George''. Notable people with the name include: * Georgius Choeroboscus (7th century), Greek educator * Georgius Tzul (1 ...

- ''La plus bath des javas'', 1925 * Alibert and

Gaby Sims Gaby may refer to: People Gaby is short for Gabrielle, Gabriella or Gabriel, and in particular may refer to: *Gaby (singer) (born 1965), Panamanian Reggae en Español and Reggaeton singer and rapper *Gaby, a Spanish clown, one of Los Payasos de ...

- ''Un petit cabanon'', 1935 *

Edith Piaf Edith is a feminine given name derived from the Old English words ēad, meaning 'riches or blessed', and is in common usage in this form in English, German, many Scandinavian languages and Dutch. Its French form is Édith. Contractions and ...

- ''La java de cézigue'', 1936 * Georgette Plana - ''La Java bleue'', 1938 * Darcelys - ''Une partie de pétanque'', 1941 *

- '' L'Accordéoniste'', 1942 *

Boris Vian Boris Vian (; 10 March 1920 – 23 June 1959) was a French polymath: writer, poet, musician, singer, translator, critic, actor, inventor and engineer who is primarily remembered for his novels. Those published under the pseudonym Vernon Sulliva ...

- ''La Java des bombes atomiques'', 1955 *

Léo Ferré Léo Ferré (24 August 1916 – 14 July 1993) was a French-born Monégasque poet and composer, and a dynamic and controversial live performer, whose career in France dominated the years after the Second World War until his death. He released so ...

- ''Java partout'', 1957 *

Claude Nougaro Claude Nougaro (, oc, Claudi Nogaròu; 9 September 1929 – 4 March 2004) was a French songwriter and singer. Life and career Claude Nougaro was born in Toulouse to a respected French opera singer, Pierre Nougaro, and a piano teacher, Liette ...

- ''Le Jazz et la Java'', 1962 *

Serge Gainsbourg Serge Gainsbourg (; born Lucien Ginsburg; 2 April 1928 – 2 March 1991) was a French musician, singer-songwriter, actor, author and filmmaker. Regarded as one of the most important figures in French pop, he was renowned for often provoc ...

- ''

La Javanaise "La Javanaise" is a song written and composed by Serge Gainsbourg originally for Juliette Gréco, and interpreted by both her and Serge Gainsbourg in 1963. The first recordings of both artists constituted the B-sides of each of the two 45s. Reco ...

'', 1963 *

Michel Sardou Michel Charles Sardou (; born 26 January 1947) is a French singer and occasional actor. He is known not only for his love songs ("La maladie d'amour", "Je vais t'aimer"), but also for songs dealing with various social and political issues, su ...

- ''La Java de Broadway'', 1977 * TC Matic - ''Le Java'', 1982

On film

A java is danced during a key scene at a working class café in

Jean Vigo Jean Vigo (; 26 April 1905 – 5 October 1934) was a French film director who helped establish poetic realism in film in the 1930s. His work influenced French New Wave cinema of the late 1950s and early 1960s. Biography Vigo was born to Emi ...

's film ''

L'Atalante ''L'Atalante'', also released as ''Le Chaland qui passe'' ("The Passing Barge"), is a 1934 French film written and directed by Jean Vigo, and starring Jean Dasté, Dita Parlo and Michel Simon. After the difficult release of his controversial s ...

'' (1934). Composer Maurice Jaubert arranged his java melody for

player piano A player piano (also known as a pianola) is a self-playing piano containing a pneumatic or electro-mechanical mechanism, that operates the piano action via programmed music recorded on perforated paper or metallic rolls, with more modern i ...

; it recurs later in the soundtrack as a refrain for accordion.

Bibliography

* Henri Joannis Deberne, ''Danser en société'', Christine Bonneton editor, 3/1999, Paris p. 144-145 French dances French music {{France-stub