President-elect Donald Trump danced alongside Nineteen Seventies hitmakers Village Individuals 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 turn into the forty seventh president of the US.
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 arms, 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 Individuals 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 finest recognized hit, Y.M.C.A. — extensively thought-about a homosexual anthem — has grew to become 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 Individuals’s assist of Trump first got here as a shock after they despatched a cease-and-desist letter to the his staff 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 Individuals 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 content to listen to nonetheless we imagine that music is to be carried out with out regard to politics,” the band stated in a put up 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 tune Y.M.C.A. is a world anthem that hopefully helps carry the nation collectively after a tumultuous and divided marketing campaign the place our most well-liked candidate misplaced. Subsequently, we imagine it’s now time to carry 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.
“Initially, our performances aren’t an endorsement of the President Elect’s insurance policies it doesn’t matter what you say on the contrary. Having stated that, we do assist that we’ve a brand new president now and we must always all want him effectively till he offers us a motive 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 just 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: “Properly, one man has accomplished rather a lot for Village individuals these days. His title is Donald J. Trump. He has introduced a variety of pleasure to the American individuals together with his use of Y.M.C.A. And also you need Village Individuals to push all that apart and never carry out at his inauguration? NEGATIVE!”
“We’re doing the suitable factor by performing and preserving political opinions out of this. So, please cease pushing your political opinions onto Village Individuals,” the concluded.
The Village Individuals weren’t the one those who carried out at Trump’s MAGA model 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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