Batusi
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Batusi was a 1960s style go-go dance invented for the Batman television series. The name is a pun on the then-popular dance the Watusi.
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[edit] Performance
The Batusi is performed by making a horizontal V-sign with one's index and middle fingers of both hands, and drawing them across in front of the eyes, one hand at a time, with the eyes roughly between the fingers. This is performed in time with the music, and is improved upon by continuing to dance with the lower half of the body, simultaneously.
[edit] History
The Batusi first appeared in the premiere episode of the 1960s American television series based on the comic book character Batman.
There are conflicting reports as to who invented the dance, which became a national craze on the dance scene. One account is that it was invented by dance instructor Arthur Murray for Batman, and was supposedly first performed at a cocktail party at a New York City discothèque, Harlow's.[1] But in a 2005 Wizard Magazine interview, Adam West claims credit for creating the Batusi's unique moves.[2]
[edit] Appearances
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In episode 1 "Hi Diddle Riddle" (originally aired January 12, 1966) of the Batman TV series, Batman (played by Adam West) dances the Batusi with the Riddler's henchwoman, Molly (played by Jill St. John) at a discotheque called "What a Way to Go-Go."
In episode 28 "The Pharoah's in a Rut" (originally aired April 14, 1966) of the Batman TV series, Batman dances the Batusi for King Tut while pretending to be his mindless slave.
In the Simpsons episode "Mr. Plow" (originally aired November 19, 1992), guest star Adam West performs the Batusi for Homer, Bart, and Lisa.
In the 1994 movie Pulp Fiction, the Batusi was referenced in the dance steps of characters Vincent Vega (played by John Travolta) and Mia Wallace (Uma Thurman), in a scene where the two enter a dance contest in a 50's-themed restaurant, Jack Rabbit Slims.
In the animated motion picture "Antz", (released October 2, 1998) Z and Princess Bala (voiced by Woody Allen and Sharon Stone) dance the Batusi in a bar.
In the season 5, episode 16, "Lifeblood" of Xena: Warrior Princess (originally aired March 13 2000) Cyane and Olan (played by actors Selma Blair and Monica McSwain) lead the Amazons in a dance incorporating the batusi.
In the Justice League animated series, the first-season episode "A Knight of Shadows" (originally aired September 20, 2002) includes a costume party at which a man wearing a Batman costume is seen dancing the Batusi.
In the season 7 episode of CBS's Everybody Loves Raymond "Robert's Wedding" (originally aired May 19, 2003), Robert Barone and Amy MacDougall-Barone (played by actors Brad Garrett and Monica Horan) dance the batusi as part of their reception dance.
In the Simpsons episode "My Mother the Carjacker" (originally aired November 9, 2003), Kent Brockman shows a sequence about the 60's including Adam West's Batman dancing the Batusi.
The cover of the DC comic Solo #7 featured a drawing of Wonder Girl in mid-Batusi. The cover (by writer/artist Mike Allred) was originally meant to be one of the Adam West TV Batman in the same pose. However, due to unspecified tensions regarding DC's relationship with the company that produced the 1960s TV show, Allred was forced to submit a different cover for the issue.[3]
In the season 32, 16th episode of Saturday Night Live (originally aired March 24, 2007), host Peyton Manning performed a batusi move while dancing in the sketch "Locker Room Motivation".
A promotional poster for the fighting game King of Fighters Neowave featured the character Athena Asamiya performing the Batusi.
In the season four, week three, episode (originally aired April 2, 2007) of ABC’s Dancing with the Stars, Apolo Anton Ohno and his dance partner Julianne Hough performed a Jive routine consisting of a version of the Batusi reminiscent of John Travolta and Uma Thurman’s dance in Pulp Fiction.
In The Simpsons Movie, Homer Simpson does the Batusi in the Inuit hut scene.
In an episode of Celebrity Deathmatch "Christian Bale vs. Adam West", Adam performed the Batusi.
[edit] Trivia
The batusi was nominated for the category "Greatest TV Dance Craze" in the 2006 TV Land Awards but lost to The Fonzie, a dance from Happy Days.
On the Batman Original TV Soundtrack album (originally released 1966; re-released August 11, 1989), the third track is "Batusi A-Go! Go! (I Shouldn't Wish To Attract Attention)" by Nelson Riddle
In the Xena episode "Lifeblood", the batusi footage (and most of the entire episode) was taken from the pilot of a series that was never picked up entitled "Amazon High". The pilot was filmed in late 1997 but never released.
[edit] External links
[edit] References
- ^ TV Acres: Dance & Dancing - The Batusi (Batman)
- ^ Wizard Magazine, "Wild Wild West"
- ^ Mike Allred explains the decision to change the "Batusi Batman" cover
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