Donald Trump is known for many things. His moral (and sometimes fiscal) bankruptcy. His dictatorial tendencies. His disregard for decorum, doctrine, and decency. But of Trump’s many qualities, if his dancing is any indication, I think we can all agree that a sense of rhythm is not one of them.
Case and point:
Yikes. While Trump’s dance moves have had their fair share of internet detractors, Trump’s dancing has been praised by someone close to him: his wife Melania Trump
In her first interview since Donald Trump won the election, Melania Trump weighed on Trump’s dancing, calling it “very special and unique.” She went on to say that she thinks “a lot of people are copying it” and “everybody is having fun with it.” I don’t think that anyone with a shred of self-respect for the fine art of dance would even consider copying Trump’s corporeal conniptions. As for “having fun with it,” I think “making fun of it” would be a more accurate summation of the general public’s response to Trump’s dancefloor disaster.
A generous take indeed.
“Crime” might be a better word for it.
Trump’s campaign song of choice has consistently been “YMCA,” the dance floor hit from the late-70’s disco group Village People. Considering Trump’s commitment to rolling back LGBTQ+ rights across the country, the gay anthem is a particularly ironic choice. As it turns out, Trump’s dance moves have also been praised by the lead singer of the Village People himself. Group frontman Victor Willis has said of Trump’s decision to jettison the song’s title-spelling choreography and replace it with his own geriatric jerking: “He does what works for him, and the people like it. It’s OK. It’s an ‘A’ for me.” It’s a 180 from Willis’ previous stance on Trump’s use of the song, as the singer once asked Trump to stop using “YMCA” in 2020, but in a recent Facebook post, the singer explained that he’s given Trump the green light to incorporate it into his campaign. Willis also insists that there is “nothing gay” about “YMCA,” though pop culture itself would beg to differ.
Trump’s physical laboring that some call “dance” has also earned him praise in the sports world. His elderly shimmy has been copied by five NFL athletes as well as by M.M.A. heavyweight champion Jon Jones. U.S. men’s team soccer player Christian Pulisic also imitated the dance after a recent win. “Well obviously that’s the Trump dance,” Pulisic said, “I just thought it was funny.” According to the New York Times, Nick Bosa of the San Francisco 49ers is responsible for the dances spread across sports arenas. The defensive lineman performed the Trump Shuffle after successful sack, and having been fined nearly $12,000 by the NFL for wearing a MAGA cap in a post game interview the day before. Some would take these signs to be indicative of a spreading dance craze, but in Trump’s case, it’s more of a dance virus – making all who see it ill.
Except for Melania Trump, apparently. When asked about the dance, she told interviewers that while she’s a fan of Trump’s moves, she’s never actually tried them on the dance floor. If I had to hazard a guess, I don’t think she ever will.
Published: Dec 10, 2024 05:15 am