Alvin and the Chipmunks Dance
The chipmunks dance is a fan-made TikTok trend inspired by Alvin and the Chipmunks and the Chipettes. This guide explains who they are and why a three-person dance to a sped-up song carries their name.
What is Alvin and the Chipmunks?
Alvin and the Chipmunks is a singing trio of cartoon chipmunks created by Ross Bagdasarian Sr. in 1958. Their first hit, “The Chipmunk Song (Christmas Don’t Be Late)”, reached number one in the United States that year. Since then the group has appeared on records, in TV cartoons and in films, including four live-action and computer-animated films released between 2007 and 2015.
Who are the three chipmunks?
- Alvin: the mischievous, attention-loving lead singer, usually the one who gets the trio into trouble.
- Simon: the tall, bespectacled and sensible brother.
- Theodore: the shy, sweet and good-natured one of the three.
The Chipettes, Brittany, Jeanette and Eleanor, are their female counterparts and also sing as a trio.
How the chipmunks dance relates to them
The dance borrows two things from the franchise. The first is the trio: it is done by three people, just as the Chipmunks and the Chipettes are three singers. The second is the sound: its sped-up “You Spin Me Round (Like a Record)” has the high, fast voice the Chipmunks are known for, because their own voices were made by speeding up recordings. The dance itself is a fan trend, not an official routine.
Why the name keeps coming back
The Chipmunks have stayed familiar for more than six decades. Their voices are recognizable within a second, their Christmas song returns every December, and new TV series and films have introduced them to each new generation. That is why a sped-up song with three dancers is instantly called the chipmunks dance.