About The Can-Can

The lively and energetic 'Can-Can,' instantly recognizable for its high kicks and vibrant rhythm, is far more than just a dance. It's a cultural phenomenon with a rich history deeply intertwined with music, society, and entertainment. Often associated with the Belle Époque era in Paris, its origins, evolution, and musical characteristics offer fascinating insights for any student of music or history.

The Can-Can emerged in the dance halls and working-class ballrooms of Paris in the 1830s, initially known as the "chahut." It was a more boisterous and acrobatic version of the earlier Quadrille, a popular social dance. Unlike the refined dances of the aristocracy, the Can-Can embraced freedom and exuberance, allowing dancers to display individual flair.

By the mid-19th century, the dance had evolved into a more theatrical spectacle, particularly in establishments like the Moulin Rouge and the Folies Bergère. It transformed from a participatory social dance into a choreographed performance, often featuring lines of female dancers in frilly, layered skirts. The deliberate lifting of skirts and high kicks, while scandalous to some at the time, became the dance's signature and a symbol of Parisian nightlife and liberation.

Musically, the Can-Can is most famously associated with Jacques Offenbach (1819–1880), specifically his "Galop Infernal" from the 1858 operetta Orpheus in the Underworld. This iconic tune perfectly encapsulates the dance's spirit.

Questions on The Can-Can?

Question 1: What is the Can-Can instantly recognisable for?

Question 2: In which city and decade did the Can-Can first emerge?

Question 3: What was the Can-Can initially known as?

Question 4: What earlier popular social dance was the Can-Can a more boisterous version of?

Question 5: Name one famous establishment where the Can-Can evolved into a theatrical spectacle.

Question 6: What aspects of the dance became its signature and a symbol of Parisian nightlife?

Question 7: Which composer is most famously associated with the Can-Can?

Question 8: From which operetta is Offenbach's iconic Can-Can tune, "Galop Infernal," taken?

Skills in the Can-Can?

Which TWO bars will benefit from a finger change skill on line 1?

How many scales of G major are included?

How many F sharps are in the left hand?

How many tonic chords are on line 2?

How many times does the right hand pattern in line 1 and bar 2 appear?

What does PRESTO mean?

What does MEZZO FORTE mean?

What does FORTISSIMO mean?

What finger pattern would you use on the scale at the end of line 1?

Musical exercise sheet displaying a sequence of notes on a staff, with spaces provided for writing note names and finger numbers.

Write your own Can-Can on the lines below using some of the patterns from the original by Offenbach.

Sheet music featuring a simple melody and harmony in the key of G major, highlighting a progression that combines treble and bass clefs.

The G and D7 form the harmonic foundation of this piece.

Can you write and play two different ways of playing each chord in simple quadruple time (common time) or 4/4 time. Try these variations with the melody you can write it on the manuscript on the following pages.

Musical notation showing four measures, highlighting meter changes and dotted notes in bass clef with various time signatures.

Download the Workbook The Can Can - The G Major Workbook.pdf