The vibrant and high-kicking Can Can Can Dance, famously known as the French Cancan, boasts a history as lively and spirited as the dance itself. Its story begins in the 1820s in Paris, evolving from the popular quadrille dances held at public balls. Initially, the quadrille was a structured five-figure dance for couples, set to music from operas and ballets.
However, the energy of Parisian men soon transformed this elegant dance into something much more boisterous. As a way to release pent-up energy, they began improvising and exaggerating the quadrille steps, creating a more chaotic and unrestrained version known as the “chahut,” meaning “uproar” or “commotion.” This early form of the can can can dance was a playful and energetic departure from the formal quadrille.
By 1850, Paris was a city buzzing with entertainment. Theaters and public balls were thriving, and the chahut gained further momentum. Daring Parisian women, seeking their own form of expression, embraced this frenzied dance. Among these pioneering dancers, Celeste Mogador, a star at the Bal Mabille, became a sensation. Her uninhibited performances of the quadrille, infused with the spirit of the chahut, captivated Parisian audiences and solidified the dance’s growing popularity. She was an instant star, demonstrating the captivating power of this evolving can can can dance.
[Imagine an image here of Celeste Mogador performing the early cancan]
(Alt text: Celeste Mogador, a celebrated 19th-century dancer, captivating a Parisian audience with her energetic performance of an early cancan dance style at Bal Mabille, showcasing the dance’s burgeoning popularity.)
The can can can dance crossed the English Channel around 1860, thanks to Charles Morton, considered the father of modern Music Hall. He introduced this captivating French dance to London audiences at the Oxford Music Hall. Morton cleverly renamed it the “French Cancan,” highlighting its French origins and its scandalous, “stirring” nature. Despite its initial success in Oxford, the dance’s daring and suggestive movements led to a ban due to its perceived social impropriety. This controversy, however, only added to the allure and intrigue surrounding the can can can dance.
[Imagine an image here of a vintage poster advertising French Cancan in London]
(Alt text: Vintage poster advertising “French Cancan” performances at the Oxford Music Hall in London, highlighting the dance’s introduction to English audiences and its French origins.)
Back in Paris, the can can can dance, still rooted in the quadrille but now widely known as the French Cancan, continued to explode in popularity. The iconic Moulin Rouge cabaret, opening in 1889, played a pivotal role in cementing the dance’s fame. The Moulin Rouge’s can can can dancers, often described as linen maids from Montmartre, took to the stage with a revolutionary spirit. For them, the can can can dance was not just entertainment; it was a bold statement, a challenge to the conservative social norms of the time. These dancers, with their audacious high kicks and flamboyant costumes, became legendary figures, synonymous with the Moulin Rouge and the can can can dance itself. The French Cancan shows at the Moulin Rouge became increasingly extravagant and sought-after, drawing audiences from all over the world.
[Imagine an image here of Moulin Rouge cancan dancers in their iconic costumes]
(Alt text: Iconic cancan dancers of the Moulin Rouge performing their high-energy routine in elaborate feather and rhinestone costumes, epitomizing the French Cancan’s visual spectacle and daring spirit.)
The enduring fascination with the can can can dance and the Moulin Rouge story inspired the renowned filmmaker Jean Renoir to create the film “French Cancan” in 1955. Starring Jean Gabin, the film fictionalized the dance’s history and further popularized the image of the can can can dance as a symbol of Parisian joie de vivre and artistic expression.
[Imagine a movie poster of the film “French Cancan” by Jean Renoir]
(Alt text: Movie poster for Jean Renoir’s 1955 film “French Cancan,” featuring Jean Gabin, showcasing the movie’s role in popularizing the dance’s historical narrative and cultural significance.)
Even today, the Moulin Rouge remains a beacon of Parisian nightlife, captivating visitors with its spectacular dinner shows. Audiences continue to be mesmerized by the dazzling can can can dancers in their magnificent costumes adorned with feathers and rhinestones. The can can can dance, from its humble beginnings as a men’s improvisation to its current status as a globally recognized symbol of French culture and entertainment, continues to enchant and thrill, proving its timeless appeal and energetic spirit.
