Let's Dance
"Let's dance, Bozo."
—Terry McGinnis, Batman Beyond, to The Joker.
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A Stock Phrase most often heard right before an action scene and used as a Pre-Ass-Kicking One-Liner. The Hero comes across a random Big Bad, or one of his Mooks. When the Hero announces his intention to fight/kill said Bad Guy, he might laugh a little sadistically before a replay of "Let's Dance". Sometimes this is accompanied by a cracking of knuckles, or even of the victim's neck.
Compare Bring It. Dance Battler also takes this literally.
Animation
- The Penguins of Madagascar: As Skipper prepares to fight the Rat King, he says, "Let's dance. I'll lead."
- One of the Spammers from Bender's Big Score says, "You've got no code, no porn, and you're ugly. Let's dance!" just before attacking our heroes.
- In Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa, Alex has to fight another lion as part of a rite of passage. When the other lion says, "Let's dance," Alex takes it literally and does a dance routine out of West Side Story. He gets clobbered.
- American Dragon: Jake Long gives us this right before Jake's final battle with the Huntsclan.
The Huntsman: Before I wish for your annihilation, any last words? |
Film
- Predator 2. When police officer Jerry Lambert confronts the title creature in the subway car, his last words are "Let's dance!"
- Antonio Banderes in Desperado.
(neck crack) "Let's play." |
- Aliens. Just before the Marines fight the xenomorphs for the first time:
Vasquez: "Let's rock!" (opens fire with machine gun) |
- Mortal Kombat had this as Johnny Cage's Pre-Ass-Kicking One-Liner.
- In Full Metal Jacket, Cowboy says "Let's Dance" just before deploying his squad to search for a sniper they know is in the area.
- In Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy, Ron Burgundy himself uses this phrase right before a fight:
Ron Burgundy: Let's dance, dickweed. |
- Happens in Role Models:
Danny: God dammit Ronnie! |
- In Van Wilder, one of the antagonists challenges the titular slacker with "Let's Dance", only to have Wilder respond with "It's a good day to die".
- Die Hard With a Vengeance, bomb squad technician Charlie Veiss says this to a bomb he's attempting to defuse:
"Six booby traps, four dead ends, "and a Partridge in a pear tree." Okay, honey. Let's dance." |
- Apocalypse Now. Colonel Kilgore "turning on the music" as his helicopters are about to attack.
"Eagle Thrust, put on psy war op. Make it loud. This is a Romeo Foxtrot. Shall we dance?" |
Literature
- In The Wheel of Time book The Dragon Reborn a small group of battle-ready Aiel taunt a Myrddraal with the phrase "Dance with me, Eyeless." The Aiel use the term 'dance' as a metaphor for fighting; they will often say 'dance the spears.'
- John Ringo's A Hymn Before Battle:
"This is what I promise, nothing more. We are going to stick this operation up the Posleen's ass, sideways. I guaran-fuckin'-tee that. I don't guarantee that any of us will be around to see it. That is not part of the bargain," he hissed. |
Live Action TV
- Al Bundy's version was "Let's rock."
- Lampshaded in "Fool for Love" for a typical Spuffy Foe Yay moment. Spike is telling Buffy how he killed two previous Slayers.
Spike: The first was all business but the second, she had a touch of your style. She was cunning, resourceful... oh, did I mention? Hot. I could have danced all night with that one. |
Music
- Skyclad expects to
Take your partners for our civil war dance |
Newspaper Comics
- Julius, owner of the Liberty Meadows animal sanctuary, when he prepares to catch his nemesis, Khan the giant catfish: "Let's dance, Khan."
Video Games
- Seraphim01/Serah from Silhouette Mirage says this when her health is reduces to about two thirds.
- Shinobu Jacobs, the perky ninja assassin sidekick to Travis Touchdown says a few variations of this in No More Heroes 2: Desperate Struggle.
- A variation appears in The Witcher saga, with a Psycho for Hire calling for music before starting a fight. Geralt himself uses the same phrase in the game.
- Dimitri in Sly 2 says "Let's Dance!" right before the boss battle after Sly insults his taste in clothing.
- This is one of Raphael's opening lines in Soulcalibur 2.
- Tieger to zombie!Grissom as a You Shall Not Pass, in the ending of Vagrant Story.
"And now the slowest dance begins, partner. 'Tis a fine tomb we shall share." |
- This is Mileena's intro quote in Mortal Kombat 9.
- The Street Fighter characters Elena and Eagle use the "Shall we dance?" variant.
- Star Control 2 has Orz who speak Starfish Language even after the Universal Translator, talk about battles as...
Nnnnnggggaaaahhhhh!!!!!! It is *dancing*!!!! |
- Grandia II, before the boss fight with Melfice.
Melfice: Dance with me, brother. |
Web Comics
- Sinfest got this among other corny lines in the Ninja Theatre.
Western Animation
- Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker: See the quote above.
- Another instance in DCAU: When Lobo takes on the entire Justice League (sans Superman and Batman) in "Hereafter".
Real Life
- Todd Beamer, on the ill-fated flight 93. "Let's roll."