Ants in My Pants Trivia Quiz

Answer: Chicken Dance

A Swiss accordian player named Werner Thomas is responsible for the original version in the 1950s, which was called "Der Ententanz" ("The Duck Dance"). Chart success started with a Dutch instrumental version in 1980 called "De Vogeltjesdans" ("The Dance of the Little Birds").

The 1981 UK version was "The Birdie Song", an instrumental by The Tweets. There are various tales as to how "The Chicken Dance" name arose, one being a translation by an Austrian tour guide.

Answer: Ballet

Ballet stems from the 15th century Italian Renaissance period and has been developed into a technical form of dance. There are various flavours such as French and Russian ballet, contemporary and neoclassical. Years of training are required to obtain any proficiency and so it is highly unlikely that you'd see me on a school stage performing a ballet number, except perhaps in a comic role. The fluffy dress is of course a tutu.

Answer: Waltz

The waltz seems to have developed in 16th century Austria and southern Germany and is danced by couples. It shocked many people when first introduced because of the closeness of the dancing position brought on by the man typically holding the woman about her waist. Many forms of the waltz have been developed so it obviously has its attractions.

Answer: Scottish Country Dancing

Scottish country dancing is often part of a cèilidh or Gaelic social gathering. Fiddles (often violins) are frequently part of the band's line up. A reel is a kind of folk dance (and the accompanying music) and is one of the four types of dance used in Scottish country dancing. The Dashing White Sergeant and the Gay Gordons are popular Scottish folk dances.

Answer: Cossack Dance

The Cossack dance is Ukranian in origin and more properly called Hopak or sometimes Gopak. It started off as an informal victory dance performed by warriors on their return from battle, who often re-enacted their battle highlights. Only later did Cossack dances start to evolve to include female dancers, become more choreographed and appear in concert halls.

Answer: Maasai Jumping Dance

The Maasai people are a semi-nomadic tribe based in Kenya and northern Tanzania. In times past, they were fierce warriors and cattle rustlers. Their lifestyle is still based on raising cattle. The jumping dance is properly called "Adumu" and is performed during their warriors' coming of age ceremony.

Answer: Irish Stepdancing

Irish stepdancing is perhaps best known to the non-Gaelic world through the theatrical show "Riverdance", which came to prominence during the 1990s. The stepdance is often competitive in nature with annual championships (or Oireachtas) held in various regions before a world championship is held.

The style of dancing features a stiff upper body with fast-paced and complicated leg movements. Special footwear is used and the costume worn is considered an important part of the presentation.

Answer: Conga Line

The conga line had its origins in a Cuban street dance. It is more of a march with people forming a line linked by their arms to the hips or shoulders of the person in front whilst the line snakes around, typically with drums marking the beat. Cuban politicians at one point appropriated the dance during their rallies, however the dance got banned for a while due to the fighting between rival conga lines.

Answer: Morris Dance

The morris dance is a type of English folk dance. The name is said to be derived from a Spanish festival dance called "Moresca" created after the expulsion of the Moors (medieval Berber muslims) from the Iberian peninsula. There are six main varieties of the Morris with regional variations on top of that. For example, the Cotswold morris uses handkerchiefs or sticks, the Border morris involves blackened faces, and the Long Sword dance (of Yorkshire) involves ... swords.

Answer: The Time Warp

The film came out in 1975, two years after the rock musical. "The Time Warp" is the fourth song in the film and, given that some of the lyrics are dance instructions, audience participation is encouraged and expected during the chorus. It has escaped the theatre and cinema now gets done at Halloween parties and weddings, amongst other venues.