French-Canadian Pig Trough Dance

The French-Canadian Hog Trough Dance by Troy NY Disc Jockey, Kenny Casanova

In an earlier blog, I covered the odd tradition of the French-Canadian Ugly sock dance (click here to read) which is a strange wedding custom involving a bride's older sibling who is ridiculed at her wedding. I discussed how this tradition was making a comeback in Ontario Canada and other French-speaking parts, and bleeding into the states.

This seemingly odd tradition that punishes single siblings for not already being married by spotlighting them in an odd dance has trickled down into our states. Now I have seen a handful of French speaking Canadian-American brides and grooms who come from our northern neighbors giving these traditions a shot. This custom has moved into Upstate New York and even down around around Troy and Albany NY. Now another similar custom is on it's way.

Another odd Canadian tradition somewhat related to the Ugly Wedding Sock Dance is here, and it is called The Pig or The Hog Trough Dance.

The funny mindset behind this Trough Dance is still the same as making someone dance in ugly socks alone on the dance floor for public mockery. In the case of the hog trough dance, the idea is to punish your single older sibling at your wedding reception for not yet settling down. Here, the difference is the sibling dances barefoot in a pig trough or a wash basin in the center of the floor with hecklers laughing at their expense.

in the most extreme cruel and unusual forms of this wedding torture tradition, early on, this custom really was for punishment. Dirty old hog troughs were pulled right off their farms and placed in the center of the dancefloor for a barefoot dance. That is right; with mud, steaming fresh pig droppings.

You can bet that pig droppings would have really left some lasting impressions on the guests faceas sitting near the dancer’s piggies later on. This is all the reason more to make sure you are married before your younger brothers and sisters pass on the family name.

However, in today's more politically correct version of The Dreaded French-Canadian Trough Dance, we see a more forgiving version. Now we see relatives pushing victims into the Trough Dance in a clean trough purchased just for the occasion.

A few other variations to this odd custom exist. One variation to this tradition includes adding a mix of beer and other alcoholic beverages poured in the trough first, which are later drank by the dancer upon completion of the dance. And yet another variation includes the addition of food in the trough that needs to be eaten upon completion of the dance.

For additional information on French Canadian Wedding customs, read French-Canadian Ugly sock dance (click here to read)

To book DJ Kenny Casanova to be the disc jockey for your wedding, check out www.TheDJservice.com



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