The 1920's brought about great change in American society with the arrival of flappers came the arrival of Jazz music. Black people moved from the countryside and brought jazz and blues music with them. Jazz was played on the radio creating dance crazes like the Charleston which led to the start of the Dance Marathon.  

Dance Marathons became very popular in the 1920's. They originally gained popularity because it was supposed to be quick easy money. While most people did go for the money, others went to gain stardom and make it in Hollywood. The music was played slow to hopefully lull you to sleep, but twice an hour it would be picked up, these were called sprints. The only real rule was that they couldn't fall asleep. Some contests would have breaks but not long. There was also occasionally staged contestants, to help cause fights to entertain onlookers. The longest dance marathon recorded was twenty-two weeks and three and a half days.

One account of these is from the early chapters of Anita O'Days memoir, High Times Hard Times: "It seems unbelievable now but there were once fifteen thousand people – promoters, emcees, floor judges, trainers, nurses, cooks, janitors, cashiers, ticket-takers, publicity agents, promotion men, musicians, contestants and even a lawyer – whose main source of income over a number of years came from endurance shows.