The (or cancan) is a high-energy, acrobatic dance that originated in the working-class ballrooms of Paris around 1830. Originally a couple's dance derived from the quadrille , it is now most famous as a choreographed stage performance by a chorus line of women. Key Performance Features

The dance is characterized by its high intensity, requiring significant flexibility and stamina.

: Dancers rhythmically lift, shake, and swirl their long, ruffled petticoats.

The tune most universally associated with the dance is the from Jacques Offenbach's 1858 operetta Orpheus in the Underworld .

: Sharp, controlled kicks, often aimed high enough to knock a hat off a spectator's head.