The bugs' circle dance. Entomology in sport. 1859. Frontispiece.

Playing skiffle with Eddie Clayton introduced a welcome way out from the street-corner existence Richy Starkey had known more than a year. It would take a long time to remove himself completely, but being with a group was an alternative to “walking” with the gang, and when he and Roy weren’t doing one or the other they were often dancing. Both were athletic and acrobatic jivers, accomplished rock and roll dancers able to flip, flop and fly their female partners, hold them up in the air and send them scooting through their legs.

Richy was a good jiver and so was I. We used to go to all the hops, to the Rialto and the Cavern, and girls liked to dance with us because we could do it. We had denim suits and denim jackets so the lads and girls in the Cavern called us “the Binmen.” We had regular jiving partners and loved it. But we were seriously threatened in the Rialto one night. Some feller got stabbed in the face with a pair of scissors and I was told, “You and your mate are next.” We were out of there like a shot. We didn’t like that at all. That was me and Richy—out the door.

—Tune In (Ch. 7, July 15–Dec 15, 1957)

A jukebox pumped out records when the Hurricanes took a break and [Ringo] was easily the best jiver in the group, never short of a dance partner. Margaret Douglas, on holiday here from Liverpool, says, “Ringo was a brilliant rock ’n’ roll dancer. He knew all the moves.”26

Day 13: Bugs!

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Ballerina hornet strikes again! 

Let’s dance!