Celebrate National Dance Like a Chicken Day Every May 14

• By NSC
• 3 Comments.

 

 

Every year on May 14 it’s federally mandated that everyone do the Chicken Dance for National Dance Like a Chicken Day.

Ok, it’s not actually mandated … By the federal government or anyone else.

But it is National Dance Like a Chicken Day.

And how else are you going to celebrate such a ridiculous day?

Now don’t get me wrong. I think the day’s a fun idea. But it’s also ridiculous. Both the day and the dance.

Which is a big part of the fun!

We have no clue who designated May 14 as Dance Like a Chicken Day. But we suspect the why is simply because the person found the dance lots of—yes—fun.

 

The Chicken Dance Song

This addictive little tune was composed in the 1950s by a Swiss accordion player named Werner Thomas.

But he didn’t call it The Chicken Dance. He called it The Duck Dance (Der Ententanz).

It got renamed a few times, to The Bird Dance (Vogeltanz) and Little Bird Dance or Birdie Dance (Vogerltanz) before finally becoming The Chicken Dance.

It “finally” arrived in America in the 1970s, along with its distinctive dance choreography that mimics beak, wing and tail movements.

And of course it soon became a cheesy party and wedding dance favorite. Almost everyone has surely danced The Chicken Dance, the Hokey Pokey, the Electric Slide or the Macarena at least once in their lives (and probably all four!).

2010 was a big year for the Chicken Dance:

• On April 23, in Byron Center, MI (which has a giant chicken sculpture next to the Jake’s Byron Center Hotel) folks tried to break the world record for largest Chicken Dance. It was part of a fundraiser for the Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital.
• On July 4, Mandan, North Dakota held their annual Independence Day Parade and Street Festival. The festivities included a 1.627 mile long Chicken Dance line, setting the world record for the Longest Chicken Dance.
• And on September 13 the Chicken Dance Tour began in Sweden. That day two crazy Swedes started dancing like chickens from Sweden through Europe, Asia and the Middle East.

 

In 2013 Kenosha, Wisconsin tried to break the longest Chicken Dance Record, with dancers along their 2-mile parade route. But they didn’t quite make it. Although there were dancers all along the route, there were gaps, so it wasn’t a continuous line.

Scroll down for some ideas on celebrating this goofy, unofficial holiday.

 

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How to Celebrate National Dance Like a Chicken Day

Come on now, do we really have to spell this one out?

Do the Chicken Dance!

Don’t have the song in your musical collection? Not an excuse!

We have it for you right here:

 

If you’d like to own your very own version to dance to any time, get Chicken Dance (Original) right here. You’re welcome. ;)

And if you’re going to claim you don’t know how to do the dance, well we’ve got you covered there, too. Just check out this step-by-step How to Do the Chicken Dance.

 

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