Category Archives: Musical

The D-I-S-C-O Song

Nationality: American
Age: 19
Occupation: College Student
Residence: Chicago
Language: English

Text:

The informant learned this song at summer camp that is usually done in the cafeteria. The song is 

Hey name (the person getting asked does their parts alone while a group of people do the other parts)

Hey what

Hey name

Hey what

Show us how you disco

I step to the side 

DISCO

I roll my eyes

DISCO

I do the freak 

DISCO

The freaky freak

DISCO – D-I-S-C-O – THAT’S THE WAY WE DISCO x2

Then you call on another person and it’s a whole chain and more and more people join in.

Context:

Now the song is engraved in her memory as she has gone to this camp for many years and participated in singing this song multiple times. This year the informant will be going back not as a camper but as a counselor and is excited to teach her campers the song and participate in this fun activity once more.

Analysis

Listening to this story reminded me of my times at summer camp, which consisted of lots of traditions. I feel that most of the time summer camps have lots of entertaining rituals for the campers and counselors to be involved in, camp creates its own folklores. I also went to summer camp and we were taught a song as well but ours was different but still had the fun energy. This is considered an oicotype because its “a specific folk tale pattern popular with a specific group or in a limited geographic region”. We have this shared folk group of this idea of American childhood folklore. When discussing folk music, folk make it part of their culture in order for it to become folk music, the culture is the summer camp community. Parents focus on the need for children to be away from society in order to grow and change that is why summer camp has become so popular. 


Simbang Gabi – Filipino Holiday Festival

Nationality: Filipino
Age: 51
Occupation: IT Help Desk
Residence: Naperville, IL
Language: English

Text:

Simbang Gabi translates to “Night Mass” in Tagalog.

Context:

The performer grew up Filipino in a community of mainly Catholics, then immgrated to the Midwest in 2003 where they joined a “Simbang Gabi” program at their local Catholic church with other Filipino immigrants.

“Simbang Gabi a Filipino tradition that is actually nine days. Basically we go to mass for 9 days in a row before Christmas. It happens at Dawn.” […} “We choose to continue it so the other kids who grew up here would experience our culture and it at te same time our community, it would be a Filipino event that people would congregate to. ” […] “Our Simbang Gabi program would showcase the way we dance, the way we have food, the way we have Filipino games… My sole purpose to do it is for the kids, to continue the tradition, to continue the culture.”

In the Philippines, celebration happens since “the moment we are conscious” and is celebrated by all Catholics (80-90% of Filipinos are catholic). They were told that if they finished all 9 days of Simbang Gabi and they make a wish, it will come true. “It’s like you’re praying or petitioning for something.”

Analysis:

The performer’s version of Simbang Gabi is intriuging because it’s an example of how a Filipino tradition is Americanized and yet celebrates the culture in an “authentic” way despite not being an exact replica of the tradition. Simbang Gabi in the United States is a wonderful example of cross-cultural diaspora as Filipino immigrants “perform identity” and preserve the culture after physically moving and assimilating with American culture.

Simbang Gabi in the Philippines is reflective of Filipino traditions of faith, family, and folklore as it mixes the Catholic influences of Spanish colonizers with communal values of meeting in church daily as well as creating a lasting tradition that defies borders.

Brasilian Birthday

AGE: 20 

Date of performance: 04/29/2025

Occupation: Student 

Primary Language: English 

Title-   Brasilian Birthday Traditions

Context- M shares a part of her familial heritage that influences how she celebrates birthdays in her family. M says, “I LOVE the brasilian happy birthday song, it’s awesome. It’s a tradition during birthdays to always have brigadeiro made, which is like a chocolate truffle ball made of milk, cocoa powder and butter that’s covered in sprinkles.”

Analysis- M shares a variation of the typical birthday most people imagine. Instead of the classic ‘Happy Birthday’ ballad followed by a whole cake, M celebrates her birthday the Brazilian way—singing the ‘brasilian happy birthday song’ and sharing many brigadeiro. An iconic element of folklore is observing how certain elements of a tradition, such as a birthday, are kept throughout the world but slightly adapted to the certain region/people. The way people can share similar customs but make it their own based on their unique traditions is a trait of folklore, which can be seen in M’s Brasilian birthday tradition.

Never Say ‘Good Luck’

Folk Belief / Superstition

Performance Ritual / Verbal Superstition

1. Text

In theatre communities, it is widely believed that saying “good luck” to a performer before a show brings misfortune. Instead, performers and crew members say “break a leg,” a phrase which paradoxically conveys good intentions by using language associated with harm. According to JP, “If someone’s never been in theatre before, once they enter that space, they learn quickly not to say it. We’ve all made the mistake and have said it, but then we learn to never say it again.”

JP added that in some past situations, if someone accidentally said “good luck,” others would try and undo the jinx. “There are all these mini-rituals that people do to reverse it,” she said. “Some people knock on wood, which is a common way to reverse a jinx, but others would be as creative to do the hokey pokey. One girl I worked with once literally jumped in a circle three times. It all seems a little bizarre to me.”

She also mentioned how the phrase “break a leg” can be used creatively depending on the performance. “Sometimes if it’s a musical, people will say ‘break the set’ or ‘rip your costume.’” I shared with her how I’ve heard musicians use their own variations, such as “break your axe” or “break the kit.” Similar, though different, these many variations follow that same tradition of ironic misfortune equating to good luck.

2. Context

My childhood friend JP learned the superstition during her early involvement in high school theatre. The belief was introduced not through formal instruction but through direct social correction — another student or “thespian,” if you will, reprimanded her for saying “good luck” before a performance. This moment served as a kind of informal initiation into the vernacular norms of the theatrical folk group. JP described this moment as formative: “I didn’t even know I had done anything wrong — but after that, it stuck. I never said it again. I never forgot that moment. I felt ashamed. But in reality, how silly to feel ashamed for just trying to spread positive energy before the top of the show.” This type of spontaneous correction and adoption of group norms is characteristic of how folklore is transmitted: orally, experientially, and within culturally bounded settings. The performative aspect of the correction — the other student’s visible reaction — helped to underscore the gravity of the superstition and ensure its memorability.

For JP, and theatre practitioners more broadly, this superstition operates both as a ritualized behavior to mitigate uncertainty and as a signifier of in-group identity. The phrase “break a leg” is not merely a euphemism; it is a badge of cultural belonging. To say it — and more importantly, to know why to say it — is to demonstrate that one is an initiated member of the theatrical community. JP emphasized that even if people do not literally believe in the curse associated with saying “good luck,” the phrase remains taboo. Its use is ‘policed’ socially, often humorously, but with real affective consequence. She said, “The thespians take it seriously. You can’t joke around with them in that manner. God forbid.”

She also noted that variations of the expression, such as “break the set,” demonstrate how the underlying function of the phrase is preserved even as its form changes. These creative deviations reinforce both the community’s linguistic playfulness and its shared understanding of superstition as cultural performance. In this way, JP’s experience is not just personal but indicative of broader folkloric patterns: taboo language, symbolic inversion, group boundary maintenance, and the ritualization of transitions (in this case, the movement from rehearsal to performance).

In sum, JP’s account of this superstition illustrates how occupational folk groups like theatre communities maintain their identity and continuity through orally transmitted, symbolically rich traditions that respond to both emotional and practical needs.

3. Interpretation

The superstition of avoiding “good luck” in favor of “break a leg” exemplifies what folklorists call a conversion superstition — a ritualized substitution in language that seeks to preempt misfortune by invoking it in disguise. This paradoxical formula is rooted in the belief that overt expressions of hope or confidence might tempt fate or the supernatural to interfere. Instead, the phrase “break a leg” operates through apotropaic magic — protective language or gesture that wards off evil by acknowledging its potential presence in a non-threatening or ironic way.

In the context of theatrical performance, this form of verbal ritual takes on heightened significance due to the inherent liminality of the stage experience. The stage is a high-pressure site of live creation, where the margin for error is narrow and the outcomes are public. Within this context, superstitions serve a powerful psychological function: they offer performers a sense of agency in an otherwise unpredictable environment. By engaging in these folk practices, actors enact symbolic forms of control over the uncontrollable.

At the same time, this belief fulfills crucial social functions within the theatre folk group. Language becomes a boundary marker — a verbal cue that delineates those who belong to the culture from those who do not. The phrase “break a leg” is a form of vernacular code: it identifies the speaker as a cultural insider, someone who has internalized the values, taboos, and rituals of the group. In this way, the superstition becomes a tool of informal initiation. When someone violates the taboo and says “good luck,” the group’s reaction — whether humorous or stern — reinforces shared norms and reminds all members of the behavioral expectations that sustain group identity.

The supplementary gestures often used to “reverse” the curse (e.g., knocking on wood, hokey pokey) reveal how intertextual and intertraditional theatre folklore is. These counter-rituals draw on a much wider system of folk belief found across cultures and contexts. Their presence within the theatre reinforces the idea that folklore is adaptable and layered, borrowing and blending symbols and practices in ways that suit the needs of specific communities.

What is particularly striking is the persistence of this superstition within environments that might otherwise be considered secular, rational, or progressive, such as university theatre departments. This reveals the depth of emotional and communal resonance that folklore can carry. It is not sustained by literal belief alone, but by the emotional logic it provides. It offers a symbolic framework through which performers can acknowledge and manage their fears, externalize their hopes, and participate in a lineage of tradition that links them to generations of theatre-makers before them.

In this sense, the “break a leg” superstition is not merely a linguistic oddity but a ritualized expression of vulnerability, solidarity, and shared identity. It encapsulates the human desire to ward off chaos through collective, meaningful action — even if that action takes the form of a joke, a phrase, or a symbolic contradiction.

A Bad Dress Rehearsal Means a Great Opening Night

Folk Belief / Superstition

Performance Ritual / Theatre Superstition

1. Text 

JP, a theatre major at American University, recounted a widely circulated superstition in theatre communities: the belief that a bad dress rehearsal portends a successful opening night. This saying, according to JP, functions as a near-ritualistic mantra invoked in the face of final-rehearsal failures.

JP shared a vivid example from her sophomore year, during a student production of 9 to 5. JP called the final dress “a total mess.” 

“People forgot lines, a quick change got botched, the curtain cue was late. Everyone was freaking out. But then the show went great. It’s one of those things that’s not logical, but people buy into it.” This account captures the performative dimension of folklore: belief is enacted even when its literal truth is uncertain or doubtful. The utterance of the phrase itself helps stabilize the group in a moment of heightened anxiety.

JP also highlighted the semi-ironic way the phrase circulates as if actors feel like it’s “cringey” or “corny.” Her reflection underscores how folk expressions often serve not just to encode cultural knowledge, but to offer psychological relief and narrative closure. In this case, the saying retroactively transforms mistakes and technical issues into signs of future triumph, effectively reversing the emotional tone of the moment.

The phrase becomes a kind of communal coping mechanism, offering reassurance and collective optimism at a time when performers may otherwise feel vulnerable or demoralized. It is also notable that the belief typically emerges in the liminal phase of production — the moment between preparation and performance — when emotional stakes are high and certainty is elusive. The ritualized repetition of this phrase in that transitional space suggests a shared desire to assert narrative control, to impose meaning on what might otherwise feel like chaos. Like many folk expressions, the value of “a bad dress rehearsal means a great opening night” lies not in its verifiability, but in its ability to provide symbolic structure to an unpredictable process.

2. Context

JP first heard the superstition “a bad dress rehearsal means a great opening night” during high school, and like other superstitions, it just stuck. Like many folk beliefs in performance communities, this one wasn’t taught formally but was picked up through informal repetition — from directors, upperclassmen, and fellow cast members reacting to chaotic final rehearsals. “It’s one of those things you hear and just kind of know how to use,” she told me.

JP’s earliest memory of it came from a community theatre production when she was 15. “We had this horrible dress run where a kid fell into the orchestra pit and then wailed like you couldn’t imagine,” she said. “And afterward, the director just nodded and said, ‘Perfect. That means we’re ready.’ And I remember thinking, How does that make sense? Why would you say that. I laughed, but everyone got it together and the show won a Bay Area Youth Theatre Award” —an appalling, yet humorous retelling.

This belief, for JP and other thespians, acts as a kind of collective coping mechanism. She emphasized that it doesn’t even have to be said earnestly to serve its purpose. Even if you don’t totally believe it, saying it out loud helps ease the panic as if it gives failure a reason. This notion  that an imperfect rehearsal balances out with a strong performance — turns a moment of instability into a ritualized expression of hope.

In theatre spaces, where energy and morale can shift quickly, JP sees this superstition as a social tool. “It lets you fail safely,” she said. “No one wants to go into opening night thinking they’re doomed. This gives you permission to believe that disaster is just a step on the way to success.”

3. Interpretation

This superstition reflects a common pattern in folk belief, the symbolic inversion of misfortune into fortune, similar to the logic behind phrases like “break a leg.” In this case, the belief that “a bad dress rehearsal leads to a good opening night” serves a psychological and communal function, especially in the liminal space between rehearsal and performance.

Theatrical productions are deeply vulnerable moments of live collaboration. The stakes are high, and performers rely on both precision and chemistry. When a dress rehearsal goes poorly — often the last chance to “get it right” before the public sees the work — the potential for panic or discouragement is immense. This superstition intervenes in that panic, reframing it as positive foreshadowing rather than failure.

The logic is symbolically satisfying: a chaotic rehearsal “uses up” the bad luck, clearing the way for the show to succeed. Whether or not performers believe this literally, the saying becomes a shared ritual, a kind of emotional triage, that helps a cast move forward with confidence.

The phrase also performs a social function: it affirms group solidarity by creating a shared narrative in the face of stress. Saying “Well, it’ll be a great opening night” acts almost like a spell invoking the desired outcome through repetition. It’s folklore that performs belief, even when belief is partial or performative.

JP’s experience with the phrase and her awareness that it’s more about comfort than causality is telling. The phrase isn’t valuable because it’s true, but because it’s helpful. It reflects a broader folkloric pattern: when people feel powerless (as performers often do in the final stages of rehearsal), they reach for ritual, repetition, and communal language to reassert agency.

Ultimately, the superstition captures a central paradox of folklore: something can be emotionally true even if it is logically suspect. A bad dress rehearsal may not guarantee a great show, but believing that it might helps actors cope, connect, and continue, which is, in itself, a kind of magic.