Why do kicklines provoke a Pavlovian applause response in audiences...?

Because a perfectly synchronized kickline is impressive.

I said nothing about perfectly synchronized kicklines.

---

I think The Straight Dope tried to answer this several years ago. It doesn't appear this question is archived on their site, though.

---

Perfectly put, BackwoodsBarbie. Thank you.

Graciella Danielle once said (or something to this effect) that it was easy to end a dance number with applause simply by having the entire ensemble come downstage toward the audience, all doing the same step, with the star in the center.

The kickline provides a similar effect.

---

Exactly! &#%$!

The tempo slowing in combination with those legs going up in anything resembling uniformity (as long as it's all happening in the same 1-second range, say) is a guaranteed clapper.

And, PJ., aye, Ms. Daniele's example rings clearly with truth, but at least in that case the applause is coming at the end of the song, where it would normally fall anyway. Usually even an awful song can get a hand with little effort on the part of thes creatives -- a button, a tableau, some signal to the audience.

What reminded me of how crazy this drives me is -- I was watching high-school and other amateur videos of "Side by Side" on YouTube (don't ask), and that kickline just works like an applause switch. Every time I witness it in the theater -- even at the Phil last weekend -- I have to fight the urge to stand up and start screaming like Annie Wilkes.

---

Maybe just because it's fun. Some people aren't as jaded as you and just enjoy it. It's not a difficult concept.

---

"Maybe just because it's fun. Some people aren't as jaded as you and just enjoy it. It's not a difficult concept."

lol okay except just don't be an idiot

---

Updated On: 4/14/11 at 04:59 PM

I think almost all kicklines are at the end of an exhausting dance break and it's a kind of pre-end congratulations. As if waiting to the end of the song wasn't good enough to applaud the dancers, they had to do it at the big climax of the dance break. Eh, it isn't a necessary thing, but I usually get caught up in the moment and clap anyway. The kickline after the dance break in MAME, even the orchestral build up is exciting.

I always thought it's because usually the whole cast does it, and they're facing the audience, so it's like an "acknowledge the great work we're doing and we'll acknowledge you before going back in character" moment.

It's a good question. I don't know the answer.

---

And they also call to mind the Rockettes. So people associate them with spectacle.

---

Dottie, you have always been such a trend setter.

---