Cha-cha Real Smooth...

September 3, 2012 1:19 AM

I'm looking for songs that have dance moves incorporated into the lyrics. I'm thinking of songs like the Cha-cha slide. Know any?

I teach English as a Second Language (ESL) to kids, and I would like some kid-friendly songs that have dance moves incorporated into the lyrics to use during P.E. class. Think of songs such as the Cha-cha slide by DJ Casper. I hope such a thing exists...

posted by ultrabuff to education (19 answers total)

Hannah Montana/Miley Cyrus' Hoedown Throwdown is kid friendly and contains instructions.
posted by troika at 1:27 AM on September 3, 2012

Well, there's the good ol' Hokey Pokey...

Also Head, Shoulders, Knees & Toes.
posted by Paris Elk at 2:14 AM on September 3, 2012 [1 favorite]

The Locomotion!
posted by runincircles at 2:29 AM on September 3, 2012

It's just a jump to the left
And then a step to the right
With your hands on your hips
You bring your knees in tight
But it's the pelvic thrust that really drives you insane,
Let's do the Time Warp again!
posted by pracowity at 2:34 AM on September 3, 2012 [5 favorites]

It's a (very) oldie, i.e., I remember it from my childhood:

Peppermint Twist

Well, they've got a new dance and it goes like this
The name of the dance is Peppermint Twist

Well, you like it like this, the Peppermint Twist

It goes round and round, up and down
Round and round, up and down
Round and round and a up and down
And a one two three kick, one two three jump!

My folks must have had it on a wax cylinder.
posted by she's not there at 2:48 AM on September 3, 2012

Da Dip
posted by mannequito at 2:55 AM on September 3, 2012

Twistin, shake it shake it shake it shake it baby
Hey we gonna loop de loop
Shake it out baby
Hey we gonna loop de la
Bend over let me see ya shake your tailfeather
Bend over let me see ya shake your tailfeather
Come on let me see ya shake your tailfeather
Come on let me see ya shake your tailfeather
Aaah
posted by pracowity at 2:57 AM on September 3, 2012

First I limp to the side like my leg was broken
Shakin' and twitchin' kinda like I was smokin'
Crazy wack funky
People say ya look like M.C. Hammer on crack, Humpty
That's all right 'cause my body's in motion
It's supposed to look like a fit or a convulsion
Anyone can play this game
This is my dance, y'all, Humpty Hump's my name
No two people will do it the same
Ya got it down when ya appear to be in pain
Humpin', funkin', jumpin',
jig around, shakin' ya rump,
and when the dude a chump pump points a finger like a stump
tell him step off, I'm doin' the Hump.

(Digital Underground, The Humpty Dance)
posted by fingersandtoes at 3:45 AM on September 3, 2012 [1 favorite]

OMG sorry, sorry, I didn't read your whole question!! No don't use the Humpty Dance to teach English to kids... oops! Ok I have learned an important lesson about reading the whole question today.
posted by fingersandtoes at 3:46 AM on September 3, 2012 [10 favorites]

Doesn't fully answer your question, but there's a list of novelty and fad dances over at Wikipedia that might help find other songs/dances like this.
posted by sciencegeek at 4:24 AM on September 3, 2012

Let's do the Pretzel!
posted by jozxyqk at 4:46 AM on September 3, 2012

Paris Elk really has the right idea if you're talking about little kids learning body parts.
posted by pracowity at 6:07 AM on September 3, 2012

Brush some dirt off your shoulder and lean back
posted by raccoon409 at 6:52 AM on September 3, 2012

Cupid Shuffle.
posted by that's how you get ants at 6:57 AM on September 3, 2012 [1 favorite]

Mashed potato
posted by annsunny at 7:42 AM on September 3, 2012

The Madison
posted by The corpse in the library at 9:34 AM on September 3, 2012

I used to love dancing to Simon Says by the 1910 Fruitgum Company when I was a wee one:
Put your hands on your head,
Simple Simon says,
Bring them down by your side,
Simple Simon says,
Shake them to your left,
Simple Simon Says,
Now shake them to your right,
Put your hands on your head,
Simple Simon says,
Bring them down by your side,
Simple Simon says,
Shake them to your left,
Simple Simon Says,
Now shake them to your right...
posted by Oriole Adams at 10:19 AM on September 3, 2012

Walk the Dinosaur.
posted by Barry B. Palindromer at 12:13 PM on September 3, 2012

My friends and I call this "hip hop line dancing." That might help your google power.
posted by jaksemas at 3:03 PM on September 3, 2012