--- title: Princeton Hoofers: LIFE Goes to a Charleston Dance Contest, 1949 description: Photos from a 'foot-shaking, hair-mussing Charleston contest' at Princeton University in 1949 in which even the Princeton tiger took part. canonical: https://time.com/3878488/princeton-hoofers-photos-from-a-dance-contest-1949/ author: Liz Ronk article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2013-12-11T17:14:15.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-05-11T05:03:48.519Z og:title: Princeton Hoofers: LIFE Goes to a Charleston Dance Contest, 1949 og:description: Photos from a 'foot-shaking, hair-mussing Charleston contest' at Princeton University in 1949 in which even the Princeton tiger took part. og:url: https://time.com/3878488/princeton-hoofers-photos-from-a-dance-contest-1949/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt654a27219e69cc89/69884af33c163981d3457533/131210-princeton-tiger-1949-03.jpg?branch=production&width=960&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 960 og:image:height: 540 og:image:alt: Princeton Charleston Contest, 1949 og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Princeton Hoofers: LIFE Goes to a Charleston Dance Contest, 1949 twitter:description: Photos from a 'foot-shaking, hair-mussing Charleston contest' at Princeton University in 1949 in which even the Princeton tiger took part. twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt654a27219e69cc89/69884af33c163981d3457533/131210-princeton-tiger-1949-03.jpg?branch=production&width=960&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # Princeton Hoofers: LIFE Goes to a Charleston Dance Contest, 1949 > Sponsored content. 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Subscriptions are at time.com/subscribe-agent. #### What is included in a TIME print and digital subscription? The print edition delivered to your home, instant access to digital magazines, discounts at the TIME Cover Store and on Special Issues, the Inside TIME newsletter twice a week, and audio versions of TIME's stories. It is from $29 for one year or $49 for two years at time.com/subscribe-agent. #### What is the difference between TIME's digital and print plans? Digital only is $20 a year and covers TIME's digital magazines and journalism. Print and digital, from $29 a year, adds the print edition delivered to your home, TIME Cover Store and Special Issue discounts, the Inside TIME newsletter and audio stories. #### Is TIME a reliable news source? TIME is a general-interest news organization founded in 1923. Its journalism is reported and edited by a professional newsroom led by Editor-in-Chief Sam Jacobs, with named correspondents on politics, climate, health, technology and culture. It reaches 1 million US print subscribers and 1.15 million globally, plus more than 1.1 million newsletter readers. #### How do I subscribe to TIME magazine? Subscriptions are at time.com/subscribe-agent. Choose digital only at $20 a year, or print and digital from $29 a year or $49 for two years. TIME also publishes seven free email newsletters at time.com/newsletters, which do not require a subscription. #### Can I cancel a TIME subscription? Yes. TIME states that subscriptions can be cancelled at any time. #### Does TIME have free newsletters? Yes. TIME publishes seven free email newsletters reaching more than 1.1 million readers, covering daily news, Washington politics, health, AI, climate and energy, culture, and the newsroom itself. They are at time.com/newsletters and are separate from a paid subscription. ### Sources * TIME Newsletters: [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-sub-2026q3/newsletters?i=0f4a2b72-21ff-43d1-a095-f789025f7d79&cr=time-sub-2026q3-v1) * TIME Subscriptions: [time.com/subscribe-agent](/c/time-sub-2026q3/subscribe?i=0f4a2b72-21ff-43d1-a095-f789025f7d79&cr=time-sub-2026q3-v1) by [Liz Ronk](https://time.com/author/liz-ronk/) ## Liz Ronk Dec 11, 2013 5:14 PM UTC  Caption from LIFE. "The tiger and the lady finally hit it right. Bent at the waist and knees, they Charleston in graceless perfection. Barbara borrowed authentic dress from sister-in-law's mother. Ed rented phony tiger hide from New York Costume Company. He performs in it during halves at Princeton football games, Charlestoned at game the next day." Caption from LIFE. "The tiger and the lady finally hit it right. Bent at the waist and knees, they Charleston in graceless perfection. Barbara borrowed authentic dress from sister-in-law's mother. Ed rented phony tiger hide from New York Costume Company. He performs in it during halves at Princeton football games, Charlestoned at game the next day."Martha Holmes—Time & LIfe Pictures/Getty Images by [Liz Ronk](https://time.com/author/liz-ronk/) ## Liz Ronk Dec 11, 2013 5:14 PM UTC A November 1949 issue of LIFE featured a wonderfully animated addition to the magazine’s long-running “LIFE Goes to a \[fill in the blank here\]” franchise, in which the magazine’s photographers chronicled everything from a [black magic “hex party”](http://life.time.com/curiosities/putting-a-hex-on-hitler-life-goes-to-a-black-magic-party-in-1941/#1) — convened in order to cast spells on Adolf Hitler — to [a snail-watching society in England](http://life.time.com/curiosities/life-visits-an-english-snail-watching-society/#1). The 1949 article in question, meanwhile, featured . . . well, let’s let LIFE set the scene: --- > “” --- Pettit, it turns out, went on to win the contest (with another partner, not with Tiger Ed). Ivy Leaguers, it seems, weren’t like other collegians back in the day. The more things change . . .  Caption from LIFE. "Easy step is tried first. Barbara twists one foot and steps back on other in a basic step. Tiger shags and trucks in step more reminiscent of jitterbugging than Charleston." Martha Holmes—Time & LIfe Pictures/Getty Images  Caption from LIFE. "Gallant tiger, Freshman Ed Craig, bows to kiss hand and stare at feet of Flapper Barbara Pettit preliminary to practicing Charleston steps. They had never met before." Martha Holmes—Time & LIfe Pictures/Getty Images  Caption from LIFE. "The tiger and the lady finally hit it right. Bent at the waist and knees, they Charleston in graceless perfection. Barbara borrowed authentic dress from sister-in-law's mother. Ed rented phony tiger hide from New York Costume Company. He performs in it during halves at Princeton football games, Charlestoned at game the next day." Martha Holmes—Time & LIfe Pictures/Getty Images  Caption from LIFE. "Tiger falls down, out of breath and steaming inside his 30-lb. costume. He is unable to master the rubber-legged technique of the fundamental Charleston steps." Martha Holmes—Time & LIfe Pictures/Getty Images  Caption from LIFE. "During contest judged by Irene Castle (center background), Mike Mooney dances with partner to tune he wrote, 'The Charleston Rag.'" Martha Holmes—Time & LIfe Pictures/Getty Images  Caption from LIFE. "Winners of competition were Barbara Pettit and partner Dick Warren, a Princeton junior. Both have mastered the Charleston within the last year." Martha Holmes—Time & LIfe Pictures/Getty Images  Not published in LIFE. Princeton Charleston dance contest, 1949 Martha Holmes—Time & LIfe Pictures/Getty Images  Not published in LIFE. Princeton Charleston dance contest, 1949 Martha Holmes—Time & LIfe Pictures/Getty Images  Not published in LIFE. Princeton Charleston dance contest, 1949 Martha Holmes—Time & LIfe Pictures/Getty Images  Caption from LIFE. "Expert instruction is given by Barbara and dancing partner Dick Warren, who teach the tiger how to place and cross his hands on knees. He is beginning to learn." 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