The 'Wednesday' Dance Is Driving the Internet Wild
Wednesday Addams, the eldest child of The Addams Family, is known for her deadpan, dreary, nature. But in addition to loving doom, she also loves... to dance. This tendency comes front and center in Episode 4 of Netflix's new series, Wednesday, which focuses on a teenage Wednesday (played by Jenna Ortega)—creating a moment that has taken the internet by storm upon the show's release. But past iterations of the character (played by Lisa Loring in the original TV series and Christina Ricci in the '90s feature films) have also memorably busted a move on screen.
Anyone who hasn't seen Wednesday, or just wants to experience the Episode 4 dance moment over and over again, can send their attention over to Twitter, where the official Wednesday account shared the clip, which has since been shared many thousands of times.
Dancing is one of my favorite things to do. Along with gravedigging, conducting autopsies, and glaring uncomfortably. pic.twitter.com/q5sHhp82Rr
— Wednesday Addams (@wednesdayaddams) November 25, 2022
Wednesday dances to "Goo Goo Muck" by The Cramps in the moment within the show
In a video shared by Netflix, Ortega revealed that she choreographed the dance herself. “I choreographed that myself and I think it’s very obvious that I’m not a dancer or choreographer,” she said in the video with a laugh. Her co-stars, including Emma Myers (who plays Enid) and Hunter Doohan (who plays Tyler) then object to state just how much they enjoyed it. Percy Hynes White, who played Xavier, also loved it: "I can watch an entire show of just this,” he said.
Ortega revealed her references for the dance in a Tweet. "Thanks to Siouxsie Sioux, Bob Fosse’s Rich Man’s Frug, Lisa Loring, Lene Lovich, Denis Lavant, and archival footage of goths dancing in clubs in the 80’s. Helped me out on this one," she wrote.
Thanks to Siouxsie Sioux, Bob Fosse’s Rich Man’s Frug, Lisa Loring, Lene Lovich, Denis Lavant, and archival footage of goths dancing in clubs in the 80’s. Helped me out on this one. https://t.co/zlxlv1JUW4
— Jenna Ortega (@jennaortega) November 25, 2022
A Twitter user named @daniforadeserie even went through the trouble to put video of Ortega's Wednesday dance next to footage of each of the other references—including Loring's foot-step moves from the original Addams Family sitcom.
I saw your iconic dance so many times that I decided to search for all the inspirations/references and that's the result 😍😍 pic.twitter.com/QRpOBdNyPV
— dani (@daniforadeserie) November 27, 2022
Lady Gaga, Kid Cudi, and more have loved Wednesday's dance
The dance works because we've had so much set up toward who Wednesday is at this point; to see her expressing joy (albeit, of course, still with a completely straight face) is an incredibly well-earned moment of juxtaposition for the series. And perhaps that's why it's caught the attention of many on TikTok (who have set the dance to songs including Lady Gaga's "Bloody Mary.")
Lady Gaga is such a visionary woman.. She published Bloody Mary 11 years ago just so Wednesday Addams can own it today.#wednesdaynetflix pic.twitter.com/0s3LvPuREW
— WandaNat ᱬⴵ Targaryen (@hwanda_) November 26, 2022
I see you doing my dance moves to @LadyGaga’s Bloody Mary. I understand she is followed by little monsters. I approve.
— Wednesday Addams (@wednesdayaddams) December 1, 2022
Lady Gaga herself became aware of the pop culture crossover happening, and responded from her own Twitter account:
Slay Wednesday! 💋 You’re welcome at Haus of Gaga anytime (and bring Thing with you, we love paws around here 😉) https://t.co/aUdJEFYF68
— Lady Gaga (@ladygaga) December 1, 2022
The dance has also been enabled, on a loop, with the track on Spotify.
The dancing scene from @wednesdayaddams has been set as background when you listen to Lady Gaga’s “Bloody Mary” on Spotify. pic.twitter.com/PjGUxoXoXh
— Lady Gaga Now 🧠 | Fanpage (@ladygaganownet) December 1, 2022
That's not the only musical superstar whose attention the track has caught, though. Kid Cudi, Ortega's co-star in X—the Texas Chain Saw Massacre-inspired slasher film that came out earlier this year—gave her a nice shout out as well. "Wow go JENNA!!!!" he wrote.
Wow go JENNA!!!! 🥹 https://t.co/4Os0Yf2Mqg
— The Chosen One (@KiDCuDi) November 25, 2022
The 20-year-old star returned the favor, shouting out Cudi's recent Netflix animated project, Entergalactic.
:’) when you guys watch Wednesday and ENTERGALACTIC on Netflix… then what?? You are the coolest ever. THE Scott! https://t.co/8BIYhDkglN
— Jenna Ortega (@jennaortega) November 27, 2022
Which is all to say, if you've managed to avoid the 2022 version of the Wednesday dance to this point—congratulations. You probably won't be able to keep it up much longer. And on the likely chance that you have seen the dance, let's all hope together that we get a worthy follow-up in the (seemingly inevitable) Season 2.
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