The song that launched a thousand flapping arms – and a global dance craze – has a surprisingly complex history. While known to millions as the “Chicken Dance,” its origins lie not in a barnyard, but in the Swiss Alps, and a tune originally intended to evoke the grace of skiers. The story of how “Der Ententanz” (The Duck Dance) became the “Chicken Dance” is a testament to the unpredictable nature of cultural phenomena, and the power of a well-timed costume change.
The melody was composed around 1955 by Swiss accordionist Werner Thomas. Inspired by watching skiers descend the slopes, he created a tune he called “Der Ententanz,” believing the movements resembled ducks. According to accounts from his son, Thomas also tended to ducks and geese, further cementing the avian inspiration. The song gained popularity in German clubs and restaurants, becoming a staple for “oompah” bands worldwide, and taking on various names along the way – “The Birdie Dance” in Australia, “The Ducky Dance” in St. Louis, Missouri, and simply “The Bird Dance” across much of the United States.
The tune’s journey to international recognition took a significant turn in 1973 when Thomas collaborated with a Belgian music producer and the band Bobby Setter’s Cash & Carry. They released a version titled “Tchip, Tchip,” a name reflecting the bird-like sounds within the melody, though not a direct imitation of a duck quack. This iteration, also known as “The Birdie Song,” quickly became a hit in Europe, selling over a million copies within a year. A Dutch band, De Electronica, further propelled the song’s evolution in 1980 with their cover, “De Vogeljesdans” (Dance Little Bird), accompanied by choreography that would ultimately become synonymous with the dance we know today.
But the transformation from “Duck Dance” to “Chicken Dance” didn’t occur until the song crossed the Atlantic. In 1981, a band performing at an Oktoberfest celebration in Tulsa, Oklahoma, introduced “Dance Little Bird” to the American public. However, organizers encountered a logistical hurdle: they wanted to teach the “Duck Dance,” but a duck costume proved elusive. Necessity, as they say, is the mother of invention – or, in this case, a chicken costume. The switch was made, and the “Duck Dance” was reborn as the “Chicken Dance.”
The “Chicken Dance” quickly found a natural home at events featuring polka bands, becoming a participatory favorite at weddings, festivals, and social gatherings. Its simple, repetitive choreography – flapping arms, wiggling hips, and beak-like hand gestures – made it accessible and instantly engaging for audiences of all ages. The dance’s popularity reached a peak in 1994 when Oktoberfest Zinzinnati in Cincinnati, Ohio, sponsored the World’s Largest Chicken Dance, attracting a staggering 48,000 participants. The event, graced by the Crown Prince of Bavaria, earned a place in the Guinness Book of Records, and Zinzinnati has since claimed the title of hosting the world’s largest iteration of the dance annually.
The story of the “Chicken Dance” is more than just a quirky footnote in pop culture history. It illustrates how a simple melody, born from a Swiss musician’s observation of skiers, could evolve through multiple iterations and cultural adaptations to become a global phenomenon. The accidental substitution of a chicken costume for a duck costume in Oklahoma proved to be a pivotal moment, forever altering the dance’s identity in the American consciousness.
Werner Thomas’s composition, recorded in approximately 140 versions across 40 million records worldwide, continues to bring joy and a healthy dose of silliness to events around the globe. From its humble beginnings in the Swiss Alps to its current status as a beloved party staple, the “Chicken Dance” remains a testament to the enduring power of music and dance to transcend cultural boundaries.
