Today May 14th is Dance like a Chicken Day. The Chicken Dance is a tradition at weddings, children’s discos and family events.
Werner Thomas, a Swiss accordion player, wrote the basic melody for the Chicken Dance song in the late 1950s. In 1963, he began performing it at his restaurant. The people who bravely stood up and danced along often used sporadic movements that reminded Thomas of ducks and chickens. By the time the Chicken Dance arrived in America in the 1970s, it had transformed into a set of movements with repeated "beak", "wing", and "tail" movements.
Although we may not like to admit it, we all have rocked the Chicken Dance at least once or twice in our lives. This goofy dance is a popular favorite at kid’s birthday parties, bat mitzvahs, weddings, and beyond.
