Before it became a wedding staple, a festival tradition, and a dance known around the world, it started with a duck.
Seriously.
In 1981, the Heilbronn Band from Germany traveled to the Tulsa Oktoberfest and introduced America to a catchy little tune and dance called “Der Ententanz” or “The Duck Dance.” There was just one small problem.
Nobody had a duck costume.
Luckily, Tulsa did what Tulsa does best. It got creative.
A local TV station stepped in with the only thing they had available: a chicken costume. The duck became a chicken, the name stuck, and one of the most recognizable dances in the world was born right here in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
Now, PowDot Studios is teaming up with Mood Shift Pictures to tell this incredible story in the feature length documentary Duck Duck Chicken.
But this isn’t just a story about a silly dance. It’s a story about music, culture, unexpected moments, and how something created for fun can travel across generations and around the world. From Oktoberfest celebrations to family weddings, from stadiums to school gyms, millions of people have flapped their arms and danced along without ever knowing the story behind it.
We think it’s time they do.
There’s a record out there that belongs in Tulsa.
On September 1, 1996, an estimated 72,000 people gathered at the Canfield Fair in Canfield, Ohio to dance to The Tweets’ version of the song, known as “The Birdie Song” or “Birdie Dance,” setting a Guinness World Record for the largest Chicken Dance.
That’s amazing.
But come on…
The Chicken Dance was born in Tulsa. That record needs to come home.
Alongside making this documentary, we’re setting out on a mission: bring the world record back to the city where it all started.
We’re looking for people who want to be part of this ridiculous, wonderful, feather-covered piece of history.
We need volunteers. We need storytellers. We need people who can help spread the word. And yes, we need support to help finish this documentary and share Tulsa’s story with the world.
You can help fund Duck Duck Chicken through our crowdfunding campaign with donations starting at just $1.
And because every great adventure deserves a little something extra, we’ve created special rewards for our supporters.
Check out our reward tiers, join the flock, and help us bring the Chicken Dance back home.
Because Tulsa didn’t just do the Chicken Dance.
Tulsa created it.
