greetings researchers,

anyone have an idea how that stirrage dance move got started?  I've
seen hundreds of people do it but I don't know what it's called or the
origin.  just saw it again in S.W.A.T. yesterday when TJ (Josh Charles
==> this guy http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001038 ) won the shoot-off
with Hondo (Samuel L. Jackson).

hands clenched in a grasp (usually facing downward), arms extended in
front, elbows bent while hands move in a simultaneous counter-clockwise
fashion.  usually done under celebratory circumstances.  know what I'm
talkin' about?  the gesture seems to have legs so I'd like to know if
this silliness has a name and some background if anyone knows.

thank you kindly,
GB

Greetings Granny,

Long time, no hear from.  ;-)

I haven't seen S.W.A.T, but I believe that the dance you witnessed is
called  "the cabbage patch dance" or "cabbage patching."

See these newsgroup messages:

"Mary -- I'm doing the "Cabbage Patch Dance" for you. (that is the one where it
looks like you are stirring something heavy in a big pot, LOL)."
http://groups.google.com/groups?hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&c2coff=1&selm=20020623141313.23276.00000428%40mb-co.aol.com

"> I don't know the name of the dance, but you move your hips
> like you're swinging a hula-hoop and move your hands together
> as if you're stirring something in a barrel.  The times I've seen it,
> the "dancer" or the ones watching the "dancer" was/were usually
> saying, "Go (someone)!"
...
>Oh my god you're talking about the cabbage patch.  Stirring something!"
http://groups.google.com/groups?hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&c2coff=1&selm=ajr7i6%2487o%241%40bob.news.rcn.net&prev=/groups%3Fq%3D%2522cabbage%2Bpatch%2522%2Bstirring%26hl%3Den%26lr%3D%26ie%3DUTF-8%26c2coff%3D1%26selm%3Dajr7i6%252487o%25241%2540bob.news.rcn.net%26rnum%3D4


Why cabbage patch?

Well, it all goes back to the crazy days of the 1987 when a rap group
called "Gucci Crew II" had a hit song called "Cabbage Patch."  The
song spawned the dance.

> Trivia:
> Gucci Crew II was also known for their hit "Cabbage Patch", which
> spawned a dance of the same name.
http://groups.google.com/groups?q=%22cabbage+patch%22+dance&hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&c2coff=1&selm=apraxus-1506981939430001%40172.29.10.2&rnum=1

Listen to a clip of the song at Amazon on The Best of Gucci Crew II 
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B000001QRK/

The dance routine owes some of its popularity to certain professional
football players who adopted it as a celebratory routine. 
Specifically, San Francisco 49er Jerry Rice is remembered for Cabbage
Patchin' in the late 1980s.

"In his first few seasons, Rice celebrated touchdowns with his Cabbage
Patch Dance."
http://pages.prodigy.net/seangates31/RiceFacts.htm
'This year he received the nickname ?Flash 80?. Jerry celebrated his
touchdown catches with a routine called the ?Cabbage Patch Dance?.'
http://www.geocities.com/ricecollector80/bio.html

--------
search strategy:
"cabbage patch" dance stirring

I hope this helps.

hello, my favorite J-man ... granny's in deep computer quarantine and
hasn't been around much.  don't even have speakers now to listen to
that clip but this info looks legit.  had no idea it went back to the
80s and somehow it's still strangely with us ... a little like guess
who?  thanks, dear boy, for stirrin' it with granny.

Muchas gracias for the tip, Gran.

Sometimes it pays to be still stuck in the '80s. :-)

Hope you get that clip workin'.  I think the lyrics provide
instructions on the finer points of cabbage patchin'.

"And it's the cabbage patch dance and it's easy to do."

Best,
j