“Bird Flu” is a new dance move that has swept through West African discos and is now killing it on the dancehall scene.

The dance originated in Côte d’Ivoire when a local DJ – inspired by a state-wide poultry cull called after an outbreak of the H5N1 virus – started busting moves mimicking a dying chicken. Soon all the kids were flapping, clucking and convulsing – a dance craze was born.

The Bird Flu quickly crossed to the Caribbean where Jamaican DJs Sample King and 1Dance created a song dedicated to the novelty dance. Look out for the Cancer Conga and the HIV Hokey Kokey coming to a dancefloor near you soon.

LISTEN: “Bird Flu”

“A new ting, everybody a-catch it!/B-B-B-B-Bird Flu/Dancing disease a-spreadin’ – Soon catch you!/B-B-B-B-Bird Flu”