Limbo is a novelty dance that originated on the island of Trinidad, though Hawaii is often mistakenly associated with limbo. The dancer moves to a Caribbean rhythm, then leans backward and dances under a horizontal stick without touching it. Upon touching it or falling backwards, the dancer is "out". When several dancers compete, they travel in single file, and the stick is gradually lowered until only one dancer — who has not touched either the stick or the floor — remains. In recent years, limbo dancing has been conducted as a social "icebreaker" game for tourists at Caribbean and other tropical resorts. The winning dancer often receives a prize. The name comes directly from the Trinidad dialect of English; Merriam-Webster [1] (see definition #2) lists the etymology as "English of Trinidad & Barbados; akin to Jamaican English limba to bend, from English limber".
Limbo dancer succeeding to dance under the pole.
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Limbo dancer attempting lowered pole.
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Limbo dancer falling flat on his back when attempting lowered pole.
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The history of limbo
The word 'limbo' as used to denote a form of dance only dates back to the 1950s. Limbo is a West Indian English derivative of 'limber'. Limber is a sixteenth century word used in the dialectical sense to refer to a cart shaft, alluding to its to and fro motion.
Pop culture
The animated series Futurama (set in the 31st century) humorously predicts that limbo will eventually become an Olympic event. In the pilot of the animated series The Grim Adventures of Billy and Mandy, the Grim Reaper challenges Billy and Mandy to a game of limbo with the soul of Billy's pet hamster on the line. Not surprisingly, the game is actually played inside of Limbo. Chubby Checker released the song "Limbo Rock" in 1962.
