The whole dance phenomenon on her show started as a fluke. According to Ellen "I was kind of joking around when I was walking from the monologue mark to sitting down and I just decided to dance a little bit. Then it just got out of hand, and now the whole audience stands up and starts dancing. I can't stop."

Amazed at the energy generated from the audience, Ellen happily reports that "Everyone's dancing...and no one's drunk." Those who can't get into the NBC Burbank studio audience dance in the special overflow room -- called the Riff-Raff Room.

The show's "dance fever" also infects Ellen's guest who love to join in the fun. Celebrities who have danced on the show include Katie Couric, Jim Carrey, Janet Jackson, Justin Timberlake, Tom Hanks, John Travolta, Penelope Cruz, Sharon Stone, and Usher. Guest star, Jimmy Kimmel, who hired a stunt double to dance for him said "I think there's more dancing on that show than in 25 years of American Bandstand."

In an interview with Stone Phillips on DATELINE NBC Ellen said, "Nobody dances anymore. Unless you're, you know, like 18 through your 20s and you go to clubs, you stop going out and you stop dancing. So these people come, and they're anywhere from 16 years old to 80 years old. And they're all dancing. And it feels good."

Ellen love of dancing extends to her viewing audience, as well. On her website, she posted this invitation:

"I want to see YOU dance! If you dance at home while I’m dancing in the studio, I want to see it. It’s like “What Are You Doing While You’re Watching?” meets “Show Us Your Moves,” and what could be better than that? Just send us a 1 minute VHS tape of you dancing with me to the address below." (The Ellen DeGeneres Show, PO BOX 7788, Burbank, CA 91523, Attn: Dance With Me)

Ellen's love for dancing, however, got her into trouble when the L.A. Lakers cheerleaders performed on her show on February 9, 2005. During a dance routine, Ellen had to quickly turn in another direction to avoid one of the Lakers and the move caused Ellen to hurt her back. Consequently, she had to do her monologue lying down and have an understudy do her regular dancing on the show until she was better.

The following week, Ellen held a mock "Dance Court" and, after listening to the evidence, 74% of the audience found the LA Lakers guilty. When Ellen asked the dancers what they had to say for themselves, they collectively said "We're sorry!" Ellen accepted their apology and the case was closed.

Despite her LA Lakers incidence, Ellen's love for dancing doesn't seem to be fading. According to an interview in People Magazine (11/14/2005) Ellen predicts "When I'm 80, I'm going to be dancing with my walker going 'kah!' like a crazy person."

Besides dancing, Ellen engages in other physical activities on her show like doing sit-ups with Britney Spears, jumping on a trampoline with Hilary Duff, playing basketball with Martin Sheen and badminton with Serena Williams, practicing "cat" choreography moves with Halle Berry and dueling swords with Catherine Zeta-Jones.

TRIVIA NOTE: Ellen's love of dancing inspired an American Express card "Ellen Dance Spot" commercial produced by Ogilvy & Mather/New York where she dances to a variety of musical styles from the the time she wakes in the morning until she gets to her TV show.

The ad begins with Ellen waking to the 1970s hit "Car Wash" on her clock radio. As Ellen heads to work, she passes a group of people doing Tai Chi while listening to a rap song on her digital musical player and dances accordingly. On an elevator, the Aretha Franklin song "Respect" coming from a Muzak service motivates Ellen to get down and boogey. Her dancing is so infectious that a fellow passenger in the elevator joins in the fun. Continuing on her way, Ellen dances to a Latino song that she hears coming from a garage. Finally at work, she does the The Robot Dance in her dressing room.

When Ellen finally arrives on stage, she dances to the tune of C+ C Music Factory's "Gonna Make You Sweat (Everybody Dance Now)" with an audience cheering her on. In a closing voiceover, Ellen says, "My life's about dancing to my own tune. My American Express card always backs me up."

External Links

• The Ellen Degeneres Show (IMDb)

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