YMCA Dance
Upload one photo and MoveMyPhoto makes a 7-second video of that person doing the YMCA to “Y.M.C.A.” by Village People. Your face, outfit and background stay yours.
This dance moves the legs: a full-body photo looks best, and we draw the legs in if they’re missing.
The YMCA dance spells the letters Y, M, C and A with your arms on the chorus of Village People’s 1978 hit “Y.M.C.A.” It began on American Bandstand on 6 January 1979, when the audience turned the band’s overhead clap into a Y.
- 1 free video a day, no sign-up
- 3 a day when you sign in
- The original song
- Ready in about 10 minutes
Same dance, different photos
How to do the YMCA
- Clap overhead and step side to side through the verse.
- Y: throw both arms up in a wide V.
- M: bend your elbows and touch your fingertips to the top of your head.
- C: curve both arms out to one side.
- A: bring your hands together in a point above your head.
Questions
Something else? Write to us
Who started the YMCA dance?
The audience of American Bandstand, on 6 January 1979. Band member Randy Jones said they mistook the group’s overhead clap for a Y. Host Dick Clark asked the band to add the moves to their routine.
How do you do the M in YMCA?
From the Y, bend your elbows out to the sides and bring your fingertips together on top of your head.
Is MoveMyPhoto free?
Yes. You can make 1 video a day without signing up, and 3 a day after you sign in. Free videos have a MoveMyPhoto watermark. Failed or blocked videos don’t count.
What photo works best?
A clear, well-lit photo of one adult with the whole body in frame looks most like you. Selfies, half-body photos, stickers, drawings and even a scene with no one in it work too: we draw the missing body or a person into the scene first, which adds about a minute.
How long does a video take?
Usually about 10 minutes; it can take longer when many people are making videos. You don’t have to wait on the page: your video is saved in My videos.
