Here's What Went Wrong With The Can-Can Dancers At The Olympics Opening Ceremony

3 months ago

Dancers from the can-can portion of the Paris Olympics Opening Ceremony explained why the conditions present made it impossible to perform the dance fully.

Performers in elaborate outfits pose on a stone stage for a choreographed sports event

The traditional French dance routine received some negative comments on social media, as legs appeared low and steps imprecise. This is despite the group being over 80 dancers from the Moulin Rouge who, you know, presumably can do a good can-can.

Performers in red, white, and blue costumes with feather headpieces pose in front of Moulin Rouge

As Australia's News.com notes, dancer Allie Goodbun shared a TikTok of the group performing flawlessly in rehearsal. In response to a question asking why the dancers did not "life their legs during the kick," she replied, "So proud to be apart of this perforemance despite unfortunate weather conditions and a very slippery surface not allowing us to do THIS 💪🏼 it was low legs, or we went for a swim!"

A line of dancers performs in a large indoor space, many are not lifting their legs high during a kick. Text overlay reads, "Why some dancers did not lift their legs during the kick?"

She also shared footage from the dress rehearsal, noting that the 2-meter-wide stage had an "edge dropping into the river." In the caption, she added, "Now add rain…😅."

Person standing beside a river with a thinking pose, wearing a lanyard that says "Paris 2024." Text on the image reads, "on a stage that's 2 meters wide."

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Moulin Rouge dancer Justin Hitchcock echoed these sentiments on his Instagram, writing, "We were so dissapointed. It started to Rain just before the Can Can began. 10 seconds before you saw us. We were trying to towel down and dry the stage off with rags."

A synchronized group of dancers wearing matching red and white outfits performs an elaborate routine outdoors, with onlookers in the background

Explaining that they rehearsed the performance for the previous seven days on top of their regular Moulin Rouge 12-show schedule, he continued, "We knew at this moment the world would be watching us try and do our job on a stage that just became and ice rink once it was wet and left 2 of our beautiful cast limping home."

A sports team celebrates on a platform. They are wearing themed costume uniforms in a dynamic group display, accessorized with themed props

"I’ve never looked at a dancer on stage at the end of a performance been heartbroken and seen heartbreak in my fellow dancers eyes like I have tonight," he continued. "We did our best and we wish an epic once in a lifetime experiences to athletes in the games."

Group of Can-Can dancers performing on stage with a choreographer on the left, sporting elaborate high-kicking and ruffled skirts

Congratulations to the dancers of the Moulin Rouge for dancing through it all.

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