Gay Purr-ee Cat Can-Can Line Dance How To:

Want a happy dance? The can-can is the iconic dance of Gay Paree. Even the cat Mewsette enjoyed this high stepping Parisian dance. So I put together some iconic can-can dance moves into a Gay Purr-ee cat can-can line dance.

Cat Can-Can:

Why a cat can-can? I was inspired by the cat can-can dancers at the Mewlan Rouge in the film “Gay Purr-ee.” Mewsette’s story is that of a French casket girl. Set in the gay 90’s, Mewsette goes from the country to a Paris finishing school, later to be sold as a mail order bride to a fat American cat.

Gay Purr-ee Connection:

Gay Purr-ee influenced and was influenced by other films. The Can-can scene in the song “Bubbles” is a hat tip to the 1960’s musical “Can-can.” Musette was then the inspiration for Duchess in the Disney version of the Aristocats. Both films were set in 1890’s France. These cats can dance!

Can Can History:

The can-can brings up scandal. The term cancan was French slang for scandal in 1830. The dance originated from a high-spirited gallop with additional kicks. In a period when a lady shouldn’t be caught breathless, or show her ankles, the can-can led to both. All efforts to suppress it failed. By the 1850’s there was a movement to embrace the can-can as acceptable.

Moulin Rouge Can-Can home:

By 1889 the Moulin Rouge dance hall opened. The Can-can became one of their featured dances. Ladies could now make a respectable living dancing the can-can at this legendary dance hall. Famous French painter, Lautrec made an advertisement for the Moulin Rouge of the famous can-can dancer Louise Webber.

The Can-can traveled from France to dance halls all over the world. In America it became a hit in the wild west. It remains today as the radio city Rockettes chorus line high kickers.

French Cat Can-Can Line Dance How To:

Step 1 Battement (kicks)-

Right knee up, down 4 ct, kick stomp left knee up, down, kick stomp 4 ct . Repeat right and left 8 ct.

Step 2 Rond de jamb (Leg circles)-

Right knee up circle right ankle In front count 1,2 lock step forward 3&4.

Left knee up circle right ankle In front count 5.6lock step forward 7&8.

Step 3 Polka step forward with Walk around Turn-

right foot tripple forward 1&2. Left foot tripple forward 3&4. Walk around turn right foot toward rotate 180 degrees to the left count 5, replace weight to left foot count 6, close feet7, swing hips back count 8.

Location:

We filmed at Adventures in Dance using the song “The French Can-Can Polka.” The background was photographed at the historic Silver Dollar Saloon across from the Tabor Opera house in Leadville Co. It opened in 1879 and has not changed much since then and reigns as the oldest bar in Leadville. This is the backdrop for our can-can cats.