[[TheMelancholyOfHaruhiSuzumiya http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/cit_suzumiya_haruhi_-_dancing_ed.jpg]]

Worried about bait and switch writers who'll drop a drama bomb in your funny show? Look for dancing, because putting a dancing sequence during the show theme is a good way to indicate your show's overall goal of having fun. It's also a very quick way to show off the [[LoadsAndLoadsOfCharacters entire cast]] at once and make the ThemeTune more [[MemeticMutation infectious]] by associating it in your head with dancing.

Because most shows use a more sedate song and static visual for endings, dancing there is usually done with simple -- very simple -- animation. If dancing is in the opening theme, this is often the most sophisticated bit of animation the show ever does.

An added source of humor is when, for the purposes of inclusion, a completely inappropriate character is included.

Some of these dancing sequences become popular enough that characters from other media are depicted copying the dances in fanwork.

Compare [[FiveManBandConcert Five Man Band Concert]]. For the DancingTheme where they're in kimonos, see {{Ondo}}.
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!!Examples

[[foldercontrol]]

[[folder: Anime ]]

*The ending credits of ''[[ShinChan Shin-chan]]'' have the song Party, Join Us, with an animation of Shin and his dog Whitey doing a strange dance with street signs.
* ''FutariWaPrettyCure'' ED "Get You! Love Love", ''[[FutariWaPrettyCureSplashStar Futari wa Pretty Cure Splash*Star]]'' second ED "Ganbalance de Dance", ''[[YesPrecure5 Yes! Precure 5]]'' second ED "Ganbalance de Dance -Yume miru Kiseki-tachi-", and GoGo's second ED... "Ganbalance de Dance -Kibou no Relay-". It's a good thing it's such a fun song, or we might be a bit annoyed.
** Also, ''FreshPrettyCure'' first ED "You Make Me Happy", which surprisingly, it's much cooler than those mentioned above. It's in 3D! And everything's cooler in 3D, right?
*** And the second ED, "[[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d3Fi_44Iucg H@ppy Together]]", by far cuter. I mean, what could be more adorable than the four Cures doing the robot dance in the upcoming Clover Orgel of Happiness like they're dolls, and later on the song, doing wave movements with their arms and feeling complete?
* ''[[GalaxyAngelRune Galaxy Angel Rune]]'' OP "Uchuu de Koi wa Rururune, which [[YourMilageMayVary some feel]] was pretty much the ''only'' [[DorkAge good thing about the show]].
* ''[[SuzumiyaHaruhi The Melancholy Of Haruhi Suzumiya]]'''s ending theme, [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mljdpRp41I4 "Hare Hare Yukai,"]] proved wildly popular, spawning countless imitation videos and becoming a hit at conventions. A DVD special takes this one step further, eliminating all of the still-frames from the original ending, producing a single continuous dance sequence that covers the ''entire'' ending theme. Add to this the inclusion of Yuki Nagato, who acts in the series as a combination of EmotionlessGirl and TheSpock (though to the creator's credit, she stays in character, keeping a straight face the entire time). Likewise, DeadpanSnarker Kyon appears to be somewhat exasperated at having to participate in this silliness.
** The show's OP also qualifies as a DancingTheme, albeit to a lesser extent.
*** Well, it was given a dance sequence in the ''Suzumiya Haruhi no Gekidou'' Wii game. The entire game is consisted of dance sequences given to a bunch of image songs. Even "Hare Hare Yukai" gets an extended dance sequence.
** Kyon's face says "no," but his body says "yes." He's in synch, and even does the feminine hip wiggle and limp-wristing.
* The OP of ''LuckyStar'' [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rdERUrLvIW4&feature=related ("Motteike! Sailor Fuku")]], by the [[KyotoAnimation same production company]], [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q_RPZcSZWJo&feature=related rendered in full in the final episode as a cheerleading routine.]]
** In the Beach episode of ''HayateTheCombatButler'' the cast is forced to dance the above Lucky Star routine.
* The ending theme of ''Lime-iro Senkitan '' consists of each of the main girls [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EK-Hn1FGLjg&feature=related doing a different dance with maracas and shaking their butt.]] Very repetetive. Very easy to learn.
* The ending theme to the ''Happy Lesson'' TV series featured SD versions of the female cast (which is practically [[UnwantedHarem the entire cast]]) [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n_FytKCE74E&feature=related grooving along to the music,]] admittedly with a rather funny sense of timing in places.
* ''ChocottoSister'' ED, the Neko Nyan Dance.
* ''OvermanKingGainer'''s OP "King Gainer Over!", with HumongousMecha doing the monkey just to show the audience that this isn't the usual Tomino series.
** Especially weird in that in many ways it IS the usual Tomino series, with lots of angst, blood and fighting robots. Which makes the opening just seem more out of place (but still awesome.)
* ''Bacchikoi'', the most recent ending of ''Naruto: Shippuden'' features the three rookie kunoichi Sakura, Ino, and Hinata dancing to the song. Lee and Guy-sensei eventually persuade Naruto to dance to the theme.
* "Junky Boy", the first ''MazeMegaburstSpace'' ED.
* Subverted by StudioGainax, when they parodied the both the first and second season opening credits of ''KodomoNoOmocha'' by reanimating them with characters and images from ''NeonGenesisEvangelion''; the [[http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=kodomo+no+evangelion&search=Search resulting videos]] featured all the troubled, broken, angsty characters of that series dancing, singing, and having fun.
* ''SetoNoHanayome'''s OP "Romantic Summer". Both OVA [=OPs=] also have plenty of dancing.
* ''KeroroGunsou'' uses a number of these. Subverted in the ninth one, "Kurutto Mawatte Ikkaiten"; the characters start out dancing in a line, but about halfway through Kururu gets bored and wanders off.
* The semi-serious ''TenjouTenge'' has an opening sequence with some of the characters dancing along to the opening theme "Bomb A Head!" by MC A.T.
* "Kokoro Odoru", the second closing theme to ''SDGundam Force''. For those who are curious, this is a song in OsuTatakaeOuendan (The pottery master stage), a ''cheerleading'' game (which of course includes dances).
* Several of the [=EDs=] to ''UruseiYatsura'' feature a small figure of Lum dancing in place as the credits roll past.
* The ED of ''PrincessResurrection'' (or ''Monster Princess'', depending on who's doing the translating) includes a brief sequence of [[HalfHumanHybrids half-werewolf]] [[strike:Liza]] [[SpellMyNameWithAnS Riza]] Wildman doing a bit of pelvic-thrust dirty dancing.
* ''Many'' ''{{Pokemon}}'' endings feature dancing. Usually, it is the 'mon themselves that dance, but other characters also get into the action in their own ending themes, like Takeshi/Brock ("Takeshi no Paradise") and Team Rocket ("Nyaasu no Party", "Maemuki Rocket-Dan").
* The ED of ''ParadiseKiss'' has sketchy, super-deformed versions of all five main characters dancing (and occasionally being chased by motor vehicles) to a song by Franz Ferdinand of all people.
** It is intensely awesome.
* ''KodomoNoJikan'''s ending featured [[{{Lolicon}} booty-shaking third-graders]].
* ''{{Moyashimon}}'' had dancing and bouncing CGI bacteria in its OP. (No, really.)
* The fourth ED of ''GetBackers'' featured more or less the entire cast in a line dance, drawn in ''SouthPark''/paper marionette style. There wasn't really a surprise character (unless you count [[PsychoForHire Fudou]]), but they ''did'' stick [[DudeLooksLikeALady Kazuki]] with the girls. It was a pretty stark contrast to the previous ED, which was angsty yaoi fanservice from start to finish...
* The first ending of ''{{Fushigiboshi No Futago Hime}}'' is a rather more sedate ballroom dance.
* ''{{Goshuushou-sama Ninomiya-kun}}'''s ED "Hooray, Hooray, Pom-Pom!" features dancing in both cheerleading outfits and towels. Can you ''feel'' the FanService?
* ''YakitateJapan'' features [[FunnyAfro afro-clad]] [[TheObiWan mentor]] Ken Matsuhiro [[EverythingsFunkierWithDisco disco-dancing]] in its second ED, "To All Tha Dreamers".
* ''RuneSoldierLouie'' opens with a fairly typical "everyone smiles and greets each other, then they fight monsters" opening credits to set up it's ensable of fantasy characters. Then intersperces it with cuts of minor characters in a modern recording studio singing the ThemeSong.
* Several [=OPs=] and [=EDs=] of ''[[JungleWaItsumoHaleNochiGuu Haré+Guu]]'' had some form of dancing.
* ''NogizakaHarukaNoHimitsu'''s ED "Hitosashiyubi Quiet!", featuring the entire female cast in [[{{Meido}} maid outfits]] set to an actual dance done in Akihabara. Haruka's a secret {{otaku}} herself, so it was only fitting.
* Most of the closing themes from ''Kinnikuman''. ''Niku 2x9 Rock 'n Roll'' and ''Kinniku Mambo'' are probably the best examples.
* ''WagayaNoOinariSama'''s second ending theme, "Shiawase no Kotodama", has the cast dancing at a festival in SuperDeformed style.
* ''RosarioToVampire [=Capu2=]'''s OP, "DISCOTHEQUE". It is, yes, the six girls of the show disco dancing.
* ''{{Kannagi}}'''s OP, "motto Hade ni ne!", primarily features Nagi singing and dancing on stage. It doesn't have much to do with the actual show, but it looks nice.
* ''KemekoDeluxe'''s ED, "Puripurin Taisou", featuring the almost-{{Gonk}}-ish Kemeko doing some sort of exercise routine.
* ''MacademiWasshoi'''s OP, "MOSO Ranbu", has dancing by various characters, mostly noticeably Tanarot.
* ''DaiMahouTouge'''s OP shows Punie performing an awfully cute little dance (including the [[VillagePeople YMCA]] hand gestures at one point), against a background of several well-known Japanese buildings burning bright against the night sky.
* "My Pace", one of the ending themes to {{Bleach}}, contains the FillerArc characters Claude, Nova and Ririn (in their cute little doll forms), along with series mascot Kon, doing a rather psychedelic dance to the incredibly infectious track, intercut with more "serious" still shots.
**The new OP, [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ih7Be_qodZA&fmt=18 "Shoujo S"]], has Rukia and Orihime dancing throughout the song. Matsumoto is also shown with them, but mostly during the silhouetted parts.
* "Little Wish ~lyrical step~", the ED of the ''MagicalGirlLyricalNanoha'''s first season, has a SuperDeformed Nanoha dancing in place while [[WeaselMascot Yuuno]] runs around the place.
* How can we forget the two ending themes for the first season of the ''[[{{ptitletanigjtzzgkp}} xxxHoLic]]'' anime? The first, "Reason", contained Mokona dancing to the second half of the song (it was asleep during the first half), and the second, "Kagerou", consisted of Maru and Moro air-guitaring the song, accompanied once again by Mokona dancing.
* ''SengokuBasara'''s anime adaptation, featuring the synchronized moves of sengoku-era {{mooks}} in the background.
* Despite its serious, romantic themes, ''HanaYoriDango'' (''Boys Over Flowers'') starts with a peppy, upbeat, '50s-tinged dance number, "Ordinary Sunday (Steppin' Out)".
* The ''SakuraTaisen'' TV series has elements of this in its opening, with shots of the cast performing a dance that goes with the franchise theme song "Geki! Teikokukagekidan," which the cast performed at pretty much all their live shows. There's also an {{ondo}} version used as the ending theme for a few episodes.
* [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DS-4AsKSoWM 200% no Jumon,]] ED to Tottoko Hamutarou (Hamtaro). So cute dubbers kept it largely intact.
[[/folder]]

[[folder: Live Action TV ]]

* The Bruce Campbell vehicle ''Jack Of All Trades'' had possibly [[http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=_VNsjjYRgjc&mode=related&search= the best intro sequence ever]].
* The ED of several ''SuperSentai'' series. ''Abaranger'' (with the {{Mooks}}), ''Dekaranger'', ''Kakuranger'', ''Magiranger'', ''Gekiranger'' and ''Go-onger'' all have this type of theme.
* ''[[KamenRiderDenO Kamen Rider Den-O]]'''s "Climax Jump" shows the main [[PeopleInRubberSuits Imagin]] cast dancing on the corners of the screen at the end of the song.
* ''TheDrewCareyShow'', which used three different {{Real Song Theme Tune}}s.
* ''SazerX'' ED. It falls somewhere between Dancing Theme and "exercise routine."
* ''[[MadanSenkiRyukendo Ryukendo]]'' turned its first OP into a Dancing Theme for [[SpecialEditionTitle the final episode]].
* ''StrangersWithCandy'' ended every episode with a dance party. Yes, this includes the last episode.
** The best known is the "King of Glory" liturgical dance solo by StephenColbert - what fewer people know is that this ended a two-parter about a dangerous cult.
* ''[[TheCosbyShow The Cosby Show]]'' had several intros for different seasons, and all of them had the main characters do a short dance.
* ''TheArmstrongAndMillerShow''
* The end credits of ''{{Bottom}}'' features the silhouettes of the main characters Eddie and Richie dancing, which, predictably, ends in violence.

[[/folder]]

[[folder: Video Games ]]

* The ''Ankh'' point-n-click adventure game.
* ''MonkeyIsland 2'' had Guybrush trying to scare away some monkeys that were determined to dance all the way through his serious, dramatic intro.
* ''Kwik Snax'' for the ZX Spectrum had an intro showing Dizzy and his egg-shaped pals playing in their band.
* The Playstation 2 game ''GodHand'' had most of the characters (friend and foe) dancing in the ending credits.
* Although not full dancing themes, the opening sequences for both ''Touch Detective'' games feature scenes of Funghi dancing as a clue that their [[BaitAndSwitchCredits presentation as serious detective dramas]] shouldn't be believed.
* {{Kirby}} does a short dance at the end of every level, usually splitting into 3 clones.
* Not quite a theme song, but the door-opening dance from ''{{Mother 3}}'' has to be seen to be believed. Trust me, you will never laugh harder at an old man shaking his butt.
** There is actually a fan-made Flash animation of Kumatora doing [[http://img364.imageshack.us/my.php?image=kumatoradancety1.swf the same dance]]
* The second and third ''{{Disgaea}}'' games. The second doesn't have a full dancing theme, but the third makes up for that in spades with an opening that probably owes something to ''Thriller''.
* The entire point of ''EliteBeatAgents''.
* SpaceChannel5 does this. A LOT.

[[/folder]]

[[folder: Western Animation ]]

* ''FamilyGuy'' uses this.
* As does the introduction for ''SouthPark'' season 12.
* ''TheSimpsons'' does this with one of its {{couch gag}}s.
* The opening of ''TheBackyardigans'' uses this, too.
* The second season of ''[[{{Peanuts}} The Charlie Brown and Snoopy Show]]'' has a dancing theme.
* LiloAndStitchTheSeries does this, showing several characters hulaing in the beginning credits. Including ''[[ScaryBlackMan Cobra Bubbles]]'', wearing a grass skirt ''[[RuleOfFunny on top of his suit]]''.
** Not to mention ''Gantu'' and ''[[SpellMyNameWithAnS Hamsterviel/Hamsterwheel]]'' as well.
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