Dance Like a Chicken Day 2024 (US): Learn about its History, Dates, and Fun Activities

Dance Like a Chicken Day 2024 (US): On May 14, celebrations revolve around recalling cherished recollections of performing the renowned Chicken Dance. Whether it was last week at an event or in elementary school, everyone has performed the Chicken Dance.

Although ‘The Chicken Dance Song’, the oompah accompaniment, originated in Switzerland during the 1950s, its popularity among Americans and subsequent success on the charts did not occur until the 1970s. Today, put on the Chicken performance and have the children in your life join you in a spirited performance.

History of Dance Like a Chicken Day

Werner Thomas, a young Swiss accordionist, is credited with creating ‘The Chicken Dance Song,’ a global cultural phenomenon. When he was only in his twenties, he composed a popular melody on his Swiss accordion in the late 1950s.

It is only plausible that the composition was originally titled ‘Der Ententanz,’ or ‘The Duck Dance,’ derived from the author’s occupation of caring for a flock of ducks and geese. Some claim that they wrote it specifically for Oktoberfest and took inspiration from a well-known German drinking song.

Individuals began performing the dance movements inspired by ducks, which are now widely recognized, when “The Duck Dance” debuted in 1963 at Thomas’s restaurant. The music compelled them to move. Thomas renamed the tune “Tchirp-Tchirp” in the 1970s, an alteration that more vividly evoked the animals under his care. The first Chicken Dance melody was exclusive to a small Swiss resort town for more than a decade.

After hearing Thomas’s melody in a resort, Belgian music producer Louis Van Rymenant wrote lyrics and released it. Naturally, it took off. In the 1970s, ‘The Duck Dance’ had arrived in America. September Music Corporation acquired the US rights and renamed it ‘Dance Little Bird.’ Stanley Mills, the song’s publisher, attempted to insert English lyrics but was unsuccessful.

The Dutch band De Electronica and another polka band (their album “Hooked on Polkas!” contained the song) recorded many instrumental versions of the song in the 1980s. Despite Mills’ best efforts, the song failed to dominate the early 1980s charts.

The Duck Dance became “The Chicken Dance” in the late 1980s and returned to birthday celebrations and Oktoberfests. After Mills featured it on a dance compilation, ‘The Chicken Dance’ became popular outside its genre. After decades, karaoke and ads charted with it. At all parties, the wacky song is popular, and we enjoy it.

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Dance Like a Chicken Day 2024 (US): FAQs

What does the phrase “Chicken Dance” mean?

The ‘Chicken Song,’ the ‘Birdie Song,’ and the ‘Birdie Song’ are alternative names for the ‘Chicken Song.’

Justification for the name “Chicken Dance”

When the dance was first introduced in the United States, a German band in duck attire desired to perform on a local television station while demonstrating the dance. If none was available, an alternative poultry costume was donned.

What movements comprise the poultry dance?

While writing your hips and knees four times to the music, lower your arms and palms as if you were feathering a chicken’s tail. With the music, straighten your knees and applaud four times. Four times, repeat steps two through five.

Dance Like a Chicken Day 2024 (US): Activities

Commence a poultry dance.

Obviously, to “The Chicken Dance Song”! Perform the ‘wing’ and ‘beak’ dance movements, which have been beloved since the 1970s.

Gown oneself as a fowl

Want to increase your level of excellence? Put on a poultry onesie or a paper beak instead. At this point, National Dance Like a Chicken Day has been duly observed.

Observe some polka

‘The Chicken Dance Song’ is fundamentally traditional German oompah music, bearing a tuba-heavy baseline and being closely related to polka. Even though polka is not widely listened to today, ‘The Chicken Dance Song’ could be rendered less of an anomaly by dancing to some polka!

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Five Interesting Facts about the Chicken Dance

It was incorrectly named after an avian.

‘The Chicken Dance Song’ was originally titled ‘Der Ententanz,’ which translates to ‘The Duck Dance.’

It has achieved bestseller status.

It has been re-recorded in more than 140 different takes, making it an all-around smashing success. People have bought more than 40 million copies worldwide.

It reached the summit of the charts.

1980 saw the release of a new rendition of the adapted song by Dutch band De Electronica, titled ‘De Vogeltjesdans’ (or ‘Dance Little Bird’). The song peaked at number eight on the Dutch charts after spending 29 weeks on the charts.

“The Chicken Dance” was its moniker during Oktoberfest.

It is said that the German polka band performed “Dance Little Bird” and instructed the duck dance while dressed in chicken suits at the 1981 Oktoberfest in Tulsa, Oklahoma. It is uncertain whether or not this is where the modern appellation originated.

The product has generated significant financial gains.

Since Mills granted permission for the melody to be featured in television commercials, his annual income increased from $7,000 in 1990 to $50,000 in 1995.