Musical statues

{{Infobox Game| name=Musical statues| other_names=Freeze dance (USA), statue dance/stop dance (Philippines) |image=| image_link= Purbeck Valley Folk Festival 2021 - Musical Statues.jpg| image_caption= Children playing musical statues| players=Variable | ages=Usually children | setup_time= 1 minute | playing_time= Variable | random_chance=Music stoppage may seem random to players, but is under the control of the leader | skills=Quick reaction time, ability to stand completely still | footnotes = }}

'''Musical statues''' is a game played at children's birthday parties. Originating from the United Kingdom,<ref>{{cite book |last1=Wise |first1=Derba |title=Great Big Book of Children's Games |date=10 November 2003 |publisher=McGraw Hill Professional |isbn=978-0-07-142246-8 |page=253 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=wTuZMWvmUisC |language=en}}</ref> the game is similar to musical chairs and is part of the "Jerusalem games", of which elimination is an element {{Citation needed|date=November 2025}}. It is also known as '''freeze dance''' in the United States<ref>{{cite book |last1=Bany-Winters |first1=Lisa |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=GCJx5Sqb6bcC |title=Show Time!: Music, Dance, and Drama Activities for Kids |date=1 March 2000 |publisher=Chicago Review Press |isbn=978-1-61374-285-3 |page=72 |language=en}}</ref> and '''statue dance''' in Philippines.

==Rules== Players stand in an area, usually a dance hall, with one person controlling the music. When the music starts the players should dance along to it, and when it stops, they must freeze in position. Any player moving or laughing while the music has stopped is out of the game.<ref name="routledge">{{cite book |last1=Bruce |first1=Tina |last2=Hakkarainen |first2=Pentti |last3=Bredikyte |first3=Milda |title=The Routledge International Handbook of Early Childhood Play |date=14 June 2017 |publisher=Taylor & Francis |isbn=978-1-317-56354-9 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=h_8nDwAAQBAJ |access-date=21 September 2023 |language=en}}</ref> Play continues until there is only one person left, who will be announced as the winner.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Gerngross |first1=Gunter |last2=Puchta |first2=Herbert |title=Join Us for English 1 Teacher's Book |date=27 April 2006 |publisher=Cambridge University Press |isbn=978-0-521-67917-6 |page=118 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=GYYj7izWl_gC |access-date=21 September 2023 |language=en}}</ref>

==Variations== In the '''newspaper dance''' game, players must dance on a sheet of newspaper without stepping off of it. Whenever the music stops and players freeze, the pieces of newspaper are torn in half to a smaller size.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Lyschamaya |first1=Ayleen |title=Competition-free Birthday: Teamwork Games for Kids: Non-competitive Children ́s Party Games |date=28 June 2019 |publisher=BoD – Books on Demand |isbn=978-3-7448-8156-2 |page=35 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=TJmfDwAAQBAJ |access-date=21 September 2023 |language=en}}</ref> For another version, pairs of players dance around the sheet, which they must step on as the music stops; the newspaper being folded to smaller sizes as the game progresses.

In the '''traffic light game''', players run around pretending to be vehicles, and must freeze when the game runner shouts "red!"<ref>{{cite book |last1=Heren |first1=Louise |last2=McMillan |first2=Susan |title=Nanny in a Book: The Common-Sense Guide to Childcare |date=2011 |publisher=Penguin Random House |isbn=978-0-09-193546-7 |page=207 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ZjXS4KSR3cIC |language=en}}</ref>

==World record== The world record for musical statues was set on 16 August 2013. Over 1,500 students at Mansfield State High School in Brisbane, Australia, participated in the event.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Ranke |first1=Angela |title=Mansfield State High School breaks Guinness world record for largest game of musical statues |url=https://www.couriermail.com.au/questnews/southeast/mansfield-state-high-school-breaks-guinness-world-record-for-largest-game-of-musical-statues-/news-story/0ca216a572c5aae425b69eba89929b4d |access-date=21 September 2023 |work=The Courier Mail |date=16 August 2013}}</ref>

==In popular culture== In the opening credits to the Australian children's animated series ''Bluey'', the characters play a game of musical statues.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Willett-Wei |first1=Megan |title=People are just noticing that the 'Bluey' theme song is actually a secret game and it's blowing parents' minds |url=https://www.insider.com/bluey-theme-song-australian-game-musical-statues-how-to-play-2023-4 |access-date=21 September 2023 |work=Insider |date=24 April 2023}}</ref>

==References== {{Reflist}}

Category:Children's games Category:Party games Category:Musical culture Category:American children's games Category:British children's games