Plural of cancan, a lively French dance performed with high kicks, popular in the 1800s, often associated with Parisian cabaret shows.
From French cancan, possibly imitating the sound or from quadrille, a type of dance. May relate to French 'cancaner' meaning to gossip or create a fuss.
The cancan dance scandalized Victorian society—it was so risqué that it was banned in some places, yet it became the ultimate symbol of Paris and sexual liberation!
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