Hoochie coochie

The Hoochie coochie was a sexually provocative dance that became wildly popular during and after the Chicago World's Fair in 1893. Described by the New York Journal in 1893 as "Neither dancing of the head nor the feet," it was a belly dance performed by women of (or presented as having) an Eastern European gypsy heritage, often as part of travelling 'side shows'. Gooch, Goochie or Gootchie was apparently already a Southern US term for a woman's private parts, and hoochie coochie has been suggested as referring directly to sex.

Since the dance was performed by women, a ‘goochie man’ either watched them or ran the show. Alternatively, from the directly sexual meaning of goochie goochie, he was successful with women. This inspired the classic blues song "Hoochie Coochie Man", written by Willie Dixon for Muddy Waters, and covered by numerous musicians since. The dance was still popular at the Louisiana Purchase Exposition: the World's Fair of 1904, but had all but disappeared by the Second World War; the song was therefore harking back to an earlier 'golden' era.

Another suggestion is that the dance, and presumably the name, is derived from the temple dancers of Kutch in India.