Final answer:
The African American dance that shocked and invigorated the country in the early twentieth century was the Charleston, an energetic dance that became the emblem of the Jazz Age and reflected the cultural shifts of the 1920s.
Step-by-step explanation:
Among the African American dances that shocked and invigorated the country in the early twentieth century was the Charleston. The Charleston was an energetic, syncopated dance that originated from African American communities and became widely popular during the 1920s, known as the Jazz Age. It reflected the lively, improvisational nature of jazz music and was a symbol of the Roaring Twenties' cultural revolution. This dance, along with other forms of jazz music and dance, emerged from different musical traditions like blues and ragtime, and was performed in African American clubs before spreading to greater popularity.
Flappers danced the Charleston and frequented nightclubs where jazz music became the norm. This dance was not only a physical expression but also a social statement, pushing against the conservative norms of the previous generation. The exuberant and free-spirited movements of the Charleston characterized the rebellious and energetic spirit of the age and heavily contrasted with more traditional dances like the waltz and the quadrille, often associated with the older, more sedate upper-class society.