Cancan
-
A rollicking French dance, accompanied by indecorous orextravagant postures and gestures.
-
A style of [chorus line] dance that has its origins in the [Montparnasse] area of Paris in the 1830s. Most popularly depicted as a chorus line of beautiful women in frilly, suggestive costume circa 1890 doing impossibly high kicks in unison, in addition to moves like the [ronde] de jambe and flirtatious manipulation of the skirt. This latter is particularly true at the end of the number, when the cancan dancers generally turn their backs to the audience and lean forward, lifting up their skirts to reveal their bloomers.
-
A lively, high-kicking stage dance originating in 19th-century Parisian music halls and performed by women in long skirts and petticoats.
Explore More Definitions
Browse our collection of 300,000+ community-written definitions