Pipecleaner Dance Returns
Pipecleaner Dance on davidbessler.com
Wanna donate money to our baby Noah Darwin‘s college fund?
Click below. Any amount—even a buck—is appreciated. With a donation of $10 or more, we will send you a free pipecleaner man (well, not really free—ten dollars is a lot to pay for a pipecleaner, but satisfaction is gauranteed). Don’t forget to leave us your shipping address!
New Features!
I have just added keyboard control. You can now access poses 1-12 with keys a,s,d,f,g,h,j,k,l,v,b,n
Note: You mist first click somewhere on the image before it will sense the key presses. Enjoy! Now you can refer to dance poses by key name. If you come up with some good dance combos, please submit them.
Choose your song
Now you have a choice of two 80s favorites! Grove is in the Heart by Dee-Lite, or Kenny Loggins’ Footloose.
Tips
Using the keyboard will allow you to choreograph your own routines … for example, try the Wave (H-G-F) the Head-banger (A-V-A-V) or the Butt-slapper (B-D-B-D-B-D). Submit your own and I’ll post them.
History
Back by popular demand. One night, late at night back in 1998 when I was at Cornell, I was sitting at my computer after having just gotten one of the early Logitech webcams. I was trying to figure out a way to add video to my website. Back then, 56K connections were the norm so standard video would not cut it. Anyway, I needed something to experiment with. I had a package of pipe cleaners on my desk and without really thinking about it, built the pipecleaner man. I started making a stop-motion video of the pipecleaner man. Then I tried to make forward, rewind, stop, and play buttons for the pipecleaner man. At one point, while messing with the buttons I had made, I started playing the video backwards and forwards and it looked like he was dancing. It dawned on me that it would be lots of fun to be able to control him, so I made little buttons with different poses, and that’s how the pipecleaner dance was born. Soon, the page became immensely popular and I was getting lots of hits and email from fans all over the world. The Clevland Plain Dealer called me and included the pipecleaner dance in an article about wacky personal web pages. Anyway, at some point my site moved on, and the pipecleaner dance was left behind on a backup CD. I’ve gotten email over the past few years asking where he went. I finally found him today after someone left a comment on davidbessler.com asking for his return. SO, here he is. I left him at his original address.
Plans for the future
I am working on another, as well as some improvements to the Pipecleaner Dance. Keep checking back.
Very nice dancing.I tested it with a great brazilian song and it did pretty good job
David Bessler
January 4, 2006 at 9:56 am
Love the pipecleaner man, view him almost everyday since found him. I’m in love, always makes me laugh!
Angela Hillman
March 18, 2006 at 1:46 pm
Dancing pipeleaner man was sent to me by my sister and I have forwarded him several times. He always makes me smile. Have you noticed the slight resemblance to Kevin Bacon?
Marietta Mayberg
March 22, 2006 at 12:50 pm
A friend forwarded this to me because my wife and I won a dance competition to the song Footloose … I LOVE THIS! Awesome job!
Ben
March 23, 2006 at 1:58 pm
We enjoyed the pipe cleaner… I has it forwarded to me at work and it changed my mood lol so I had to send it to Todd. Do u have any other comedy things?
Todd & Betsey
March 25, 2006 at 11:21 pm
lol… i have nver had soo much fun with a pipecleaner EVER!! Loved it and will share it with my friends!
kay
March 26, 2006 at 7:20 pm
Man, this kis AWESOME! Napoleon Dynamite has nothing on this guy!
Bob Brusca
March 27, 2006 at 6:36 pm
Wow that is dang awsome. MAybe you can make a danceing partner for it.
clore
March 28, 2006 at 6:32 pm
usually i’m easily amused, but if i weren’t, man this would still be the greatest thing ever in life
Georganne
March 31, 2006 at 6:03 pm
Hey i love the dance it was great!!!!!!
Avery
April 5, 2006 at 10:42 am
i love the dance it was soooo freckin fetch!!!
skittles
April 5, 2006 at 10:59 am
I’m not easily amused these days but this was an exception! Great stuff!
Wizzard Prang
April 5, 2006 at 5:37 pm
I want that video for my xanga site. But everytime i try it fails. Why????????????? I just want him to dance for my friends on xanga!!
Please help me.
Niko
April 8, 2006 at 4:49 pm
This really made my day.
Florian
April 9, 2006 at 2:19 pm
can’t….stop….dancing! Footloose was the perfect song for this!!
We love it! Thanks for this, we’re going to somehow use this at our wedding. We’ll put it on a big jumbo screen!!! Perfectly choreographed to our first song. Yeah! that’s it!!
Wil&Susan
April 10, 2006 at 11:42 pm
Thank You, Thank You……
I loved it made me smile on what was a real bad day.
I will forward this to other so they can smile too.
Donna
April 11, 2006 at 4:29 am
Very funky….Very hip…..But Totally COOOOOOL MAN!!!! You know I must didn’t have anything important today but watch a pipe cleaner dance!!!!! BUT STILLL TOTALLY COOL…Let me go and watch again!!!! DANCE PIPE MAN!
Little LEE LEE
April 11, 2006 at 7:44 am
Thank you for brightening my day!
Lindy J M Jordan
April 11, 2006 at 8:22 am
i love the pipe dancer, it was really cool. and i love the osng footloose, so i made the dancer, dance really wil. it was fun!
betty hammond
April 11, 2006 at 8:46 am
I love the pipecleaner dancer! Anytime I ‘m in a bad mood I just make him dance.
Dana
April 11, 2006 at 9:07 am
Wonderful tool for any choreographer. Pipe cleaner dancer is so versatile because it allows for a wide variety of combination of move at varying speeds. Thank you so much for creating this sophisticated professional tool for those of us in the dance world.
Andrea
April 11, 2006 at 9:12 am
AHAHAHAHAHAHAAA! I can’t believe tttttttttttttttttthat this is on the web…it’s sooo cute and fun to play with. Thank you for something so simple.
kitten926
April 11, 2006 at 9:45 am
I start the day with a pipe workout and it makes me feel good and laugh for the rest of the day! Thanks!
Mickey
April 11, 2006 at 10:08 am
Nice
Donald R Winter
April 11, 2006 at 11:22 am
crazy beats that frog a real possibility for take off
sue
April 11, 2006 at 11:38 am
This the coolist thing that you could do. I did this for a half hour and enjoyed every min. Thank you, Lou
Lou Myers
April 11, 2006 at 12:05 pm
THIS IS STUPID
JILL
April 11, 2006 at 12:21 pm
a dancer myself, I had fun putting the dude thru the paces! lol. you really created something fun and whacky…I dig it…thanks…btw, any chance you will be giving him even more poses??? The “choreography” could get really gnarly…woohooo!
Asariel Tidewalker
April 11, 2006 at 12:31 pm
I have never danced so well in my life. Vicariously, through the pipe cleaner dancer, I was able to show off moves I wouldn\’t even dream of doing myself – I could hurt myself doing some of those – and was able to even take a bow or two at the end. THANKS! for allowing me a chance to boggie on down the road.
Judith Waits
April 11, 2006 at 12:59 pm
I heart the Pipecleaner Man! That just totally made me giggle – a tall order today, let me assure you. I’m going to blog about him if you want to check it out later – http://www.blogcharm.com/thespinningpen.
Leigh
Leigh
April 11, 2006 at 2:08 pm
Cute and fun! Makes me want to get up and dance! Very clever of you. Thanks
Jackie Brooks
April 11, 2006 at 2:20 pm
I LOVE THIS LITTLE GUY!! I sent it to my sister and she loves it because it keeps her 4 y/o entertained for quite sometime! Thanks for spending the time to make us smile and laugh.
Chris
April 11, 2006 at 3:37 pm
It was so funny and I loved the dance. One question, what did it have to do with Jesus on the Cross? They do not go together. -AT ALL. very cute but Easter is coming – we all better get serious for a change. I love the dance and music but the world is going to hell in a hand basket.
michele
April 11, 2006 at 3:56 pm
That is so much fun! Found myself dancing along. Thanks!!
Lala
April 11, 2006 at 4:13 pm
HES SOOOOOOOO COOL
marie
April 11, 2006 at 4:15 pm
CUTE!! ^_^
Becca
April 11, 2006 at 5:37 pm
Very nice. Good Job. Hey! What about some more pcp(pipecleaner people) in the near future? Do they have any pets? Thanks for making my day.=)
sue
April 11, 2006 at 5:54 pm
Hi David,
Your little PC man is really ‘cool’…I will be sending it onto my Grandchildren…a simple little character that shows it’s creator to be quite talented with a fun imagination.
Caroline Reel
April 11, 2006 at 6:06 pm
How wonderful………..would write more but must get back to the dancing. Tjhanks
Sue
April 11, 2006 at 6:11 pm
Please make more! I loved it!
Penne
April 11, 2006 at 6:21 pm
i love the music
annie
April 11, 2006 at 7:04 pm
What a clever and talented person you are! The Pipecleaner Man is great and funny and very limber! I had a ball playing with him! Can you make more of this type of thing? Thanks for the entertainment and making me smile! Jan
Jan Taylor
April 11, 2006 at 7:05 pm
Saving pipecleaner man from the pipe is like saving a lamb from slaughter…what a service you’ve done for all pipecleaner mankind…
John M from Texas
April 11, 2006 at 7:42 pm
i love this thing! its so fun! is there anyway that i can put him on myspace? (is that allowed?)
arelis
April 11, 2006 at 8:02 pm
hi what is that geat bit of music with the pipe cleaner man ?
and by the way i love it , many thanks
Ian
April 11, 2006 at 8:52 pm
Use a clip board and a remote mouxe and dance with the pipe cleaner
Mr. Ed
April 11, 2006 at 8:52 pm
Too funny! Watched it several times and laughed each time. Just what I needed today. Thanks!!
Beth
April 11, 2006 at 8:56 pm
This is so cool. Thanks, you lifted my heart…imagine how one thing you do can continue to touch so many. I love the ways we reach out and touch each other in such positive ways. We do need that! We are all so fragile in our strength. Wishing you all good things.
Mary
April 11, 2006 at 9:08 pm
i’m actually like pretty sure napoleon dynamite like became a sort of really sweet star by like taking you know like lessons from the uh pipecleaner dude and really like for sure that rex-kwon-do guy did too. . .
gramma k sadilla
April 11, 2006 at 9:29 pm
Very creative and lots of fun. Can’t imagnine any other music for the Pipecleaner Man to dance to. Am going through rough times, but this provided a huge lift for me! I’ll keep it forever!
Cookie
April 11, 2006 at 9:34 pm
I can’t stop myself. I just love this guy! Thanks, David!
Lora C
April 11, 2006 at 10:39 pm
I love Footloose!! The Pipecleaner Dance man is so fun. Thanks for bringing this back as I missed it the first time around.
Vickie
April 11, 2006 at 10:46 pm
unique…..but oh so clever! What brand tobacco
do you use?
Hans
April 11, 2006 at 10:50 pm
What an imagination! Found this very amusing. Using different technique moves plus a great song “Foot Loose” Rocks”….Keep them coming!
blondie
April 11, 2006 at 10:50 pm
Great, my grandchildren are in for a treat when I send them this.
FUN!
Donna
April 11, 2006 at 11:08 pm
This came to me from across the country and wow! I really enjoyed making pipecleaner man dance to footloose. Awesome
Jackie
April 11, 2006 at 11:36 pm
Poor Jill. She must not have any laughter in her life. Pipe Man just makes you smile. It is too funny. Love him….
Dianna
April 12, 2006 at 12:25 am
I had a really good time putting the PC Man through his paces. It would make anyone smile, if they have a happy place in their heart at all! Thanks for sharing your ingenious idea. Surely this should be on JAY LENO! It is much funnier than some of their stuff. God Bless you Buddy!
Susan & Doug
April 12, 2006 at 1:05 am
Wonderful!! I was sent the link by my friend in Canada so the wee man has been well received in Scotland. Clever stuff.
Cheers :¬)
Vee
April 12, 2006 at 4:55 am
Pipe cleaner man is cool!!! And he dances pretty good too.LOL
Shelley
April 12, 2006 at 5:04 am
This is great…Footloose has been one of my favorite songs since the movie came out way back when…lol…it always has lifted my spirits…especially now when I should be working on my finals instead of playing on the computer…. I wish there was some way to put it on my computer so I could view it in a larger mode and without having to log on to the internet. Happy Easter and God bless you!!!!
Kathy
April 12, 2006 at 10:31 am
This was really neat. Very creative!
Melissa
April 12, 2006 at 2:55 pm
love the music !!! that cat can really dance!!!!
elaine
April 12, 2006 at 4:26 pm
Great dancing Pipe Cleaner Man! Reminds me of a guy I dated in college…
Since he is dancing to the Footloose tune, can I now count this as one of my degrees of separation from Kevin Bacon?
Dude, you must make a Pipe Cleaner girlfriend for him!!!!!!
Marta
April 12, 2006 at 5:15 pm
FUNNY!!!
i love the song also
captain
April 12, 2006 at 6:25 pm
The pipecleaner man is really cute. I enjoyed having him dance.
Nano
April 12, 2006 at 10:12 pm
what a piece of work you have here my friend. you have a brilliant think here. I would love to see what possibilities you can do with other people and animals. .. after fetching car keys from a sewer drain grate today.. I REALLY NEEDED a good laugh and something more to smile about.. thanks david. best of luck in all you do…
lisa miller
April 12, 2006 at 11:22 pm
Someone in our school district forwarded this to me. We love it! I do wish, however, you had left it so that the song keeps repeating itself without having to restart it. (I sometimes just play it while I’m typing.) You’re amazing and how delightful that you are willing to share your gift with others!
Cyndi
April 13, 2006 at 9:41 am
Hi there,
Just wanted to let you know that I have since forwarded this to a TON of people and they all love it! Thanks for the smile!
Carrie
April 13, 2006 at 10:54 am
I love this. I am plalying with it more than Pacman or Frogger. How about having the little guy do a few spins? Probably not possible but fun to imagine…. J.. Better than great!
Jeannie Tanny
April 13, 2006 at 10:56 am
eh pure thought this was dead brilliant. em totally chuffed oot ma puss wif this wee man. eh am lovin it
Stefanie
April 13, 2006 at 12:09 pm
Love it, gut didn’t get the music
joan
April 13, 2006 at 4:56 pm
this was so funny!!!! how did you figure out how to make the pipecleaner man dance? and what’s up with a pipecleaner person for ten dollars? anyway, my teacher sent this to me to prove that she was funny, and boy did she prove it!!!!
franciesca
April 14, 2006 at 10:21 am
I love the pipecleaner dance! I sent him around my office and we play with him every day.
Amanda
April 14, 2006 at 2:02 pm
Someone sent this to me, it’s great!!!!!!When I feel really stressed I pop this up and feel better in seconds!!!!
jenni
April 14, 2006 at 5:40 pm
i love this little guy he is as cute as a new born animal or human i oove i always play with him on the computer espiecally when i want to listen to my favourite song footloose if you want to hear this osng more go to the movie footloose it mad well not really the movie but the song so go and have a look! tilly
matilda
April 15, 2006 at 5:02 am
The pipe cleaner danceing man is very cute , but i think you re a bit rudeand assuming for asking for money on the internet for your childs education. Everyone had things they need money for anf we DONT get on the net to ask for money. This is a form of begging and with educatioanl achievments that you have , you should not have the need to beg.
A disappointed reader
JP
April 15, 2006 at 5:06 am
HEY NOW!
I see “PCD” is stepping up and is wearing “furrier” duds! The guy is on his way… Big Time…Peter Gabriel.,
also… can you add “Super freak by Rick James? Now that’s the way to start the day.
PS…getting carpel tunnel…can i have a discount…so what if your a vet…cut-rate on your kitchen table…Dom Perignon for anesthesia.
mary
April 15, 2006 at 10:24 am
I just showed pizz the man and she wants to be his friend forever. What about me I says? Oh well I think he’s great and maybe he’ll help me get a date. I’d like to see him have a dance partner. Wiz
wiz and pizz
April 15, 2006 at 11:09 am
ha ha ha stupid thing!!!!!~
bobbi
Bobbi
April 15, 2006 at 3:02 pm
I sent your website to Ellen DeGeneres. You know she loves to dance, so I thought she might get as big a kick out of your Pipecleaner Dance as I did.
Pat Allison
April 15, 2006 at 6:39 pm
Totally groovy. Sent it to my sis, just for laughs, while at her job. Now she can smile and exercise at the same time. Thanks
Karen Raszkowski
April 15, 2006 at 11:06 pm
My kids loved it he watched it 4 times.
Tony Hawk
April 16, 2006 at 1:26 am
That was so cool.
Ellen
April 16, 2006 at 1:28 am
I love this!! I play with Mr. Pipe everytime I go on the computer…It is so funny to get him moving to all the great songs… I must have sent it to everyone I know.
Nancy
April 16, 2006 at 9:06 am
it sucks
nobody
April 16, 2006 at 5:04 pm
I couldn’t stop laughing after I saw this I had to forward this to everyone I know.
Katie B
April 16, 2006 at 7:40 pm
AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!! LOVE IT!!!!!!!!!!!
kim colucci
April 17, 2006 at 9:29 am
Reminds me of when I had a 8mm camera and did stop motion to prove I could do Mr Bill. I wish I never played with clay and used pipe cleaners. Great work, made me laugh
Jeff
April 17, 2006 at 8:16 pm
I am a dance teacher so my mom forwarded this to me. I have to say, I can always get over being grumpy within the first few beats of the song Footloose. Then to be able to add my own (your own) choeography is a fun challenge. You have saved me a tremendous amount on therapy! Thanks a bunch. I have shared this with my friends.
Tara
April 17, 2006 at 11:30 pm
A friend sent Pipe Cleaner to me and I just love it, spent 15 minutes the first night grooving on my chair. I used to love dancing and I sure would have loved jiving to Footloose. Turning 76 on my last birthday has slowed down my footwork some.
Stonygirl
April 18, 2006 at 12:18 am
This is just the best thing when you have REALLY LOUD PEOPLE WHO WON’T SHUT UP in the next-door cube! I have shared this on the Dave Barry blog. Thanks much!
MOTW
April 18, 2006 at 6:19 pm
Hey there! I see requests are being made for a PCD dancing partner…figures…slave and dance to the top and the vultures appear…
next thing you know there’ll be a PCD posse.
eventually someone will get shot…
all fun & games till someone losses an eye!
Mary
April 20, 2006 at 9:38 am
Pipecleaner Dance Rules! I could just play with it for hours. This is very awesome!
Bradley O.
April 20, 2006 at 5:21 pm
really cool loved it can ya do a vence gill
nellie
April 22, 2006 at 6:39 am
Thanks for making me laugh! I feel better already!
Jennifer
April 23, 2006 at 12:34 pm
If this doesn’t chase away those Monday blues, I don’t know what will!! It is a BLAST to play with all the different combinations of moves you can put this little guy through.
Cynthia
April 27, 2006 at 5:49 am
hiya! i luv ur webbi whoever made dis is a genius! i liv in england, in der lake district and thanks for makin me smile!!! i wish i cud make summat like dis! byebye!
Josie
April 27, 2006 at 12:25 pm
That is one of the best web sites i have been on,and i love it so much,thanx for makin my day,what a web site!!!
PLANK
April 28, 2006 at 5:52 am
This pipecleaner is the BOOM!!!!!!!1
Cori
May 3, 2006 at 5:10 pm
NOW I HAVE SEEN EVERYTHING! FUNNY HOW THINGS LIKE THIS AMUSE ME…IT IS HYSTERICAL! THANKS FOR THE LAUGHS!!!
SUSIE
May 7, 2006 at 10:57 am
Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!
I Love the Pipecleaner Guy.
This made my day!
t.
tiki24
May 10, 2006 at 3:10 pm
You’ve made it to Australia!
http://www.bleedingedge.com.au/forum/viewtopic.php?t=2565
Newman
May 13, 2006 at 2:00 am
PIPCLEANER IS BEAST
GettoSmurf
May 14, 2006 at 8:44 pm
I thought this was excellent and really well put together.
I’m amazed how your pipecleaner man seems to match the music perfectly. You must have had the patience of a saint when putting it all together.
I did have a good laugh and so I forwarded it to a few friends.
Thanks
Michael
May 18, 2006 at 4:30 pm
A G F D S F (repeatedly)
It would be easier if it was asdfgh but that would require a change in the letter=move combination.
Rodrigo Costa
May 19, 2006 at 5:59 pm
OOps, it’s A G H D S F
Rodrigo Costa
May 19, 2006 at 6:00 pm
By the, listening to this while dancing is very gratifiying:
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-3564441495710007579&q=rebreather
Rodrigo Costa
May 19, 2006 at 6:15 pm
Brilliant and quite wonderful for my class of small children who are making pipecleaner people in art today. Thanks
Penny Kite
April 22, 2008 at 5:22 am
Your site is one of my favorite. I m gonna read all, ty for info. Continue doing on blog.
Salena Phlegm
March 17, 2010 at 12:32 am
Seriously…SERIOUSLY… this is soooo awesome
Emil
May 19, 2011 at 7:35 pm