The real dance moves you need for Oktoberfest

No matter what lazy travel writers want you to believe, there’s no Chicken Dance at Oktoberfest in Munich. If anyone tries to tell you otherwise, stop taking their travel advice immediately, lest you start looking like an arm-flapping fool everywhere you go. Instead, spend your Oktoberfest prep time (only a week to go!) learning these dances, which are sure to come in handy in each and every tent.

Cowboy und Indianer: The first time I heard this song I felt like the Germans had misappropriated my culture. What’s up with Germans playing cowboys and Indians? That’s our game! Anyways, my outrage was quickly forgotten when I learned the adorable dance moves, which are perfect for doing while standing on a bench drunk.

Here’s a rough translation of the lyrics being acted out:

Get your lasso out
Let’s play cowboys and Indians
We’ll ride our horses without resting or having a goal of any sort really
You’ve got me surrounded so I’ll give myself up and you can tie me to a giant pole
Come on get out your lasso, it will be like the very first time (wink wink nudge nudge)

The final move is usually a bit more suggestive than this video would have you believe, but the rest of the moves are more or less on target.

Fliegerlied (Heut is so a schöner Tag): This one is equally adorable, and easy to do while inebriated.

The applicable lyrics:

And I fly, fly, fly like an airplane
I’m strong, strong, strong like a tiger
And so tall, tall, tall like a giraffe
So hiiiiiiiigh
And I jump, jump, jump up and down
And I swim, swim, swim over to you
And I take, take, take you by the hand,
Because I like you
And I say, today is such a lovely day. la la la la la

If you’re sitting there scoffing at the low degree of difficulty of the preceding dances, you could always learn some schuhplattler moves.

11 thoughts on “The real dance moves you need for Oktoberfest”

  1. In watching the “Cowboy und Indianer” video I noticed another place where they cleaned it up a bit. The locals all know that you mime ‘Cowboy’ by shooting off your imaginary pistols (not tipping an imaginary hat).

    I’ll be happy to lead the dance for anyone at the Wiesn.

  5. As soon as I played ‘Fliegerlied’ – my two oldest started singing and doing the dance… my 8 and 5 y.o. – ah, German school, love it! Getting excited to don my Dirndl and head to the fest with my visiting college roomie! Good times to be had!!

  7. I wish I had made it to Munich for Oktoberfest…..yup in USA the chicken dance is alive at all the Oktoberfest I’ve been to…we are clueless! Have a wonderful time!

  8. I learned the Cowboy and Indian dance a few years back at a Koeln bar (as these are considered Karneval songs rather than Oktoberfest songs. 😉 It was on the regular playlist a few times each Saturday night.

    Like Scott mentioned, I didn’t learn the hat tip either, and the hands were bound above the head rather than behind the back. On the ohne Ziel it was done in a full left to right manner, like one was really scanning the horizon.

    A Dutch bar goer explained that they imported the new dance songs to Holland well in advance of Karneval, so they’d have a chance to pre-learn them in advance of the festivities. Thanks for reminding me of all the fun and now putting that song in my head!

  10. What a GREAT series of film clips. That first one starts my day in high gear.
    Your father-in-law (I think) Leon, forwarded your link to me. I’m so grateful. Wish I could be there, but I’m 87 years old and my travelin’ days are over.
    I LOVE Oktoberfest. Thanks so much.
    Ken

  11. Haven’t been to the Muenchen Oktoberfest for two decades now, but did attend five different years before that. The Chicken Dance was indeed played with enthusiastic audience participation. Not as shocking as thousands of people yelling “Who the F*** is Alice” along with Gompie’s rendition of “Alice” lol.

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