The cakewalk's fame eventually spread northward, and it became a nationwide fad during the 1890s. Legendary performers Charles Johnson and Dora Dean were the dance's great popularizers, and cakewalk contests were a staple of Manhattan nightlife around the turn of century, for whites as well as blacks.

What did the 1800s cakewalk develop into in the 1900s?

As cakewalk dances became more popular, they gave rise to their own form of music, an early predecessor of what's now known as ragtime.

What does cakewalk mean?

1a : a one-sided contest : an easy victory In states and localities across America, good times are making for reelection cakewalks.— Douglas Foster. b : an easy task …