May 14 – National Dance Like a Chicken Day

nPostednon May 14, 2014

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“ThenChicken Dance” is popular at weddings and family gatherings allnover the Western world, but it started out as “The Duck Dance”n(Der Ententanz) in Switzerland.

nIt’s an “oom-pah” song,nwhich means that rhythm is provided by brass instruments, and it isnassociated with German music and the polka. It was composed on andnfor the accordion.

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nThensong part of the Chicken Dance goes by a lot of names, most of whichnhave the word “bird,” or the name of a bird, plus the wordn“dance,” and of course the various names are translated into anlot of different languages. One common name is “Birdie Dance.”

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Thensong was composed by Werner Thomas in the 1950s. In the 1970s it wasnrecorded for the first time; by now there have been 140 differentnversions recorded, and more than 40,000,000 records sold!

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nEnoughnabout the song. It’s catchy and all – but what about the dance???

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nThenbeak-beak, wing-wing, tail-feather-shake, clap-clap-clap-clap dancenis probably popular because it is silly—it gives us a chance tonlaugh at ourselves and others. Who DOESN’T want to watch Uncle Felixnwiggle his tail feathers, or Grandma Mary flap her wings? And it’snsimple to do, too.

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nDonyou chicken dance? Try it with these kids. (Be sure to go allnthe way to the end, when the music and dancing speeds up!)

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George Takei, who played Sulu on the
original Star Trek, led the world’s largest
Chicken Dane in 2013.

nImportantnnote: The parts in between the birdie parts are for swinging around.nYou can link elbow with another and swing that way, or you can grabnhands and lean back as you whirl around. You can circle with three ornmore, too! If you want or need to, you can turn around on your own –nor you can just freestyle without turning! There is only one rule:nhave fun!

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nNow,nmind you, REAL chickens don’t do this silly chicken dance. If younwant to see how real chickens dance, go to The Art of Doing Stuff.

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nAlsonon this date:

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