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There are Egyptian relief's
that depict the fundamental Can-Can high kicking above the audiences
heads. The Catatonians and Parisian
women (French) also are depicted kicking the hats off of
the gentlemen spectators. The "Triori "
of 1549 from South Brittany was very similar
to today's cancan, the women danced alone, lifting their dresses
up in front and kicking their legs up to the ceiling. The dancers
or "High-Kickers " as they were
called, emerged over time and ended up in Paris, France. In the
late 19th. Century Paris was still the dance center of the world.
The Can-Can is a hybrid of the Polka
and the Quadrille
and was said to be first danced in 1822, and by 1830 was being
outlawed for a number of years as immoral and indecent and prohibited
by the police. It has been said that "Chicard
" invented the Can-Can, but very doubtful (He more
probably named it).
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The Can-Can's first American public stage performance (not
a saloon) was in the "Black
Crook " at Niblo's Gardens in New York,
September 12th., 1866, this production was a milestone in dance
and theatre and helped to start Burlesque
theatre (the Folies Bergere in France opened in 1869).
Originally, the word Can-Can in French
meant "Scandal, " or Edge
, since they usually danced on the edge of the stage. The Can-Can
is said to be the start of public nudity, because of the bare
legs above the stockings to the frilly panties, which at the time
was very indecent. Eventually the Can Can costume consisted of
sporting fishnet stockings, high heels, bustiers, feathers and
frilly skirts. The word Burlesque first came into use in the 16th.
Century in an opera of the Italian Francesco Berni
, who called his works burleschi. American stage burlesque (from
1865), often referred to as "burleycue or "leg show,
began as a variety show, characterized by vulgar dialogue and
broad comedy, and uninhibited behavior by performers and audience.
Later the public tolerated the dance and it became
very popular around 1830, mainly because the ladies would wear
long black dresses and kick their legs up in the air, thus the
men could see the knees and legs of the ladies (at the time
was "Oo-La-La!). The Popularity lasted till around 1844,
after this time the dance mainly was used in revues and musical
comedies, especially in France.
In 1845, La Princesse Celeste de Mogador (Morocco?),
Introduced the Can-Can Eccentrique at the Bal
Mabille, Bal Montesquieu, Bal de la Citb dAntin and the Bal Valentino.
It was performed by all walks of life. By 1848, it was frowned
upon by the police as being to risqué.
In the 1890's the Can-Can was done to March and later
Ragtime music. The Can-Can was originally a group (Line type)
dance done by both sexes with the Tiller
Girls and Rockettes
as an off shoot of the Can-Can. Leading dancers would eventually
perform the Can-Can for audiences. The ballet
by Massine (b.1894) was an excellent example of the
Can-Can, titled "Gaite' Parisienne "
(1938), which later was made into a movie, "The
Gay Parisian ".
--While both sexes originally danced the Can-Can, now however,
the French Can-Can is now danced only by women. Most Americans
are familiar with the Can-Can as portrayed in many Hollywood Westerns.
Michael Jackson can be seen using a variation of the Can-Can in
his dance routines (Lifting the Leg and circling it around).
The characteristic movements include:
1) "Circling the Legs" (lifting
one leg and rotating only the lower half, thus forcing the derriere
to wobble)
2) The "Pigeon
Wing " (bringing the bust into play by
leaping forward, kicking high and throwing the shoulders back
while "carrying on the arm" (holding one leg up against
the cheek while hopping lightly on the other leg).
3) The grand finale (was the splits, generally
done from a running start with a yell to the audience).
The "Kicking Polka "
(has a similarity to the Can-Can) was introduced in the
"Queen of the Moulin
Rouge " and was considered more provocative
than the infamous Apache
Dance.
As a side note:
a Guiness record of 8,005 high kicks were performed by Veronica Evans (-Steen), in 4 hours and 40
minutes in London , 1939.
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