Hitch hike was a dance craze of 1960s. It started with the 1963 Marvin Gaye's hit Hitch Hike and refueled with the gold disc of Vanity Fare, Hitchin' a Ride (1970). Fad dances are dances which are characterized by a short burst of popularity, while Novelty dances typically have a longer-lasting popularity based on their being characteristically humourous or humour-invoking, as well as the sense of uniqueness which they have. ... Marvin Gaye on the cover of his classic 1971 album Whats Going On Marvin Gaye (born Marvin Pentz Gaye, Jr. ... Hitch Hike was a 1963 hit for American soul music legend Marvin Gaye. ...

The dance is extremely simple and is based on the hitchhiker's gesture: waving the stuck out thumb. The classical Motown's pattern is three times right thumb to the right over the shoulder, clap hands, three times left thumb to the left over the shoulder, clap hands. All this is accompanied by the shimmy body ripples popular at these times. Hitchhiking (also called lifting or thumbing) is a form of transport, in which the traveller tries to get a lift (ride) from another traveller, usually a car or truck driver. ... Motown Records, Inc. ... A shimmy is a dance in which the body is held still, except for the shoulders, which are alternated back and forth. ...

Since these times the dance move firmly established itself in various line, club and jazz dances, especially disco, and may be seen, e.g., in John Travolta's dance films. Disco is an up-tempo style of dance music (generally between 110 and 136 beats per minute) that originated in the early-1970s, a derivative of funk and soul music, popular with audiences in larger cities all over the world. ... John Travolta (left) and Samuel L. Jackson (right) in Pulp Fiction. ...

The style of the move depends on the dance and may be accompanied with steps back or sideways or hip movements.