President-elect Donald Trump danced alongside Seventies hitmakers Village Folks at a rally held in Washington the day earlier than his inauguration.
His well-known “Trump dance” started trending on-line nearly instantly, carrying over into Monday morning, the day he’s set to develop into the forty seventh president of america.
Trump introduced the group on stage to shut out his campaign-style “MAGA Victory Rally” at Capital One Area on Sunday.
He danced alongside the group, clapping his fingers, pumping his fists and swaying to the to their traditional hit Y.M.C.A., alongside members James Kwong, Javier Perez, James Lee, J.J. Lippold, Nicholas Manelick and Victor Willis.
American disco group the Village Folks made a reputation for themselves within the late-70s for his or her chant-along dance-pop hits and their vibrant on-stage personas. Their greatest identified hit, Y.M.C.A. — broadly thought-about a homosexual anthem — has turned a staple of Trump’s rallies within the final election, together with their hit Macho Man.
Throughout his 2024 marketing campaign run, Trump accomplished over 110 rallies and would use Y.M.C.A. at every rally as he exited the stage. However first, he at all times danced for the gang. He often began with the arms, clenched fists pumping forwards and backwards, then adopted by some clapping and waving.
The Village Folks’s help of Trump first got here as a shock after they despatched a cease-and-desist letter to the his workforce in 2023 after he performed Macho Man at a Mar-a-Lago occasion.
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This system for Trump’s inauguration festivities and the Victory Rally have been launched on Jan. 13. Village Folks member Willis responded to the backlash they obtained to their inclusion within the festivities with an official assertion on the group’s Fb web page.
“We all know this received’t make a few of you cheerful to listen to nevertheless we imagine that music is to be carried out with out regard to politics,” the band stated in a submit on its Fb web page after it was introduced that they have been set to carry out at one among Trump’s inaugural balls and a rally.
“Our music Y.M.C.A. is a worldwide anthem that hopefully helps deliver the nation collectively after a tumultuous and divided marketing campaign the place our most well-liked candidate misplaced. Due to this fact, we imagine it’s now time to deliver the nation along with music which is why VILLAGE PEOPLE will probably be acting at numerous occasions as a part of the 2025 Inauguration of Donald J. Trump,” the band wrote.
Nearer to the date of the rally, the group posted one other assertion on their Fb web page addressing why they have been acting at numerous Trump inaugural actions.
“To begin with, our performances should not an endorsement of the President Elect’s insurance policies it doesn’t matter what you say on the contrary. Having stated that, we do help that we have now a brand new president now and we must always all want him properly till he provides us a purpose to not. However let’s give him an opportunity and see what he’s going to do,” the band stated.
“President Obama, Clinton and Bush will all attend the inauguration and so will President Biden, and Vice President Harris. So will Mark Zuckerberg (Fb), Jeff Bezos (Washington Put up, and so forth.) and on and on. Are you condemning any of them? Or is it solely recording artists that you simply imagine that ought to not attend or carry out, and that our skills ought to solely be preserved for Democrats?” they requested.
The group continued: “Nicely, one man has carried out quite a bit for Village folks currently. His identify is Donald J. Trump. He has introduced plenty of pleasure to the American folks along with his use of Y.M.C.A. And also you need Village Folks to push all that apart and never carry out at his inauguration? NEGATIVE!”
“We’re doing the suitable factor by performing and conserving political opinions out of this. So, please cease pushing your political opinions onto Village Folks,” the concluded.
The Village Folks weren’t the one people who carried out at Trump’s MAGA type rally Sunday as Child Rock, Billy Ray Cyrus and Lee Greenwood additionally took the stage. These acting at inaugural balls embrace nation star Carrie Underwood, rapper Nelly, nation music band Rascal Flatts, nation singer Jason Aldean and singer-songwriter Gavin DeGraw.
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— With information from The Related Press
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