Final answer:
The term 'Toast of the Town' is likely a reference to a hit show that helped popularize the early 1960s dance craze, although shows like American Bandstand were more influential in this regard. This period was a continuation of the cultural evolution that began in the 'Jazz Age', with jazz music strongly influencing social dances, and carried through to the 1960s when suburban youth embraced counterculture movements and music as a form of rebellion.
Step-by-step explanation:
Early 1960s Dance Craze
The early 1960s witnessed a unique cultural transition, with the rise of dance crazes that were often showcased and popularized on television variety shows. Although the question mentions 'Toast of the Town' as the show instigating the dance craze, it was actually shows like American Bandstand that were more notorious for bringing new dances into American living rooms. During this time, jazz also continued to be particularly famous, and jazz clubs, such as the Cotton Club, played a significant role in the era's vibrant entertainment scene.
In the roaring 1920s, commonly referred to as the 'Jazz Age', there was a heavy influence of jazz music, along with the emergence of flappers and sheiks who embraced the new, liberating lifestyle, which was expressed through dance and music. This period of creativity and social change provided the backdrop for the developments that would follow in the 1960s. Jazz music, rooted in African American communities, was a key ingredient of these evolving social dances.
The suburban youth of the 1960s, despite being in a supposedly conformist and content setting, were rapidly embracing newer forms of counterculture, which included music and literature that reflected their desire for individuality and rebellion. This was evident in their adoption of similar styles popularized by the beatniks and later the British rock band, The Beatles, and culminated in the legendary Woodstock festival of 1969. All these factors contributed to a vibrant and transformative entertainment landscape.