A high-kicking dance originating in 1840s Paris, performed by women in long skirts who kicked their legs high in the air, often seen in cabarets and music halls.
From French 'cancaner' (to chatter or gossip), possibly from the Latin 'quandoquamquam.' The dance emerged in Paris around 1840 and was considered outrageously scandalous for showing women's legs.
Try Another Word