Every university has its unique set of gameday songs and dances, and Wisconsin is no different. Camp Randall Stadium and the Kohl Center are not just legendary for their loud, raucous fans but also for the proud traditions their fans carry on at every event.
Learning these cheers is one factor that can help turn a normal fairweather fan who is there just to get trashed on Breese Terrace into a true member of the student section. You might look and feel like a dumbass when you do the cheers alone (trust me, it's not fun to run through the Chicken Dance in a room full of alumni who were standing still), but with a few thousand other red-clad fans joining in, it can make your Badger gameday experience even better.
To ease the process of learning these complex cheers, The Daily Cardinal would like to present this handy guide to three classic Wisconsin cheers: Jump Around, the Time Warp and Swingtown.
Jump Around
When you will hear it: Between the third and fourth quarter of every football game.
STEP 1: Generally lose your shit when you hear those first four notes, then proceed as follows.
STEP 2: Jump up, with hands raised and screaming lyrics for added effects.
STEP 3: Land.
STEP 4: Repeat. Watch your balance—those aluminum bleachers can be tough to stay on if it's been raining or if you've taken part in the pregame festivities. We at The Daily Cardinal recommend stepping back to the concrete behind your bleachers for the best stability.
The Time Warp
When you will hear it: First intermission of Badger hockey games.
STEP 1: A step-by-step guide to the myriad moves in the Time Warp is nearly impossible to put into words. The Time Warp is a dance that requires a dedicated fan because the only way to learn it is to see it repeated Friday and Saturday nights at the Kohl Center.
Listen to the original ""Time Warp"" from everyone's favorite transvestite musical, ""The Rocky Horror Picture Show,"" since the first verse provides listeners with a step-by-step guide to the Time Warp dance. Other than that, though, you just have to watch your fellow Badger fans as they enjoy what is arguably the best song and dance in the Wisconsin band's repertoire.
Swingtown
When you will hear it: After university administration deemed it too offensive for normal game time, Swingtown was exiled to the Fifth Quarter, the Wisconsin band's post-game concert (where, if you're lucky, you might also encounter the Time Warp). The Fifth Quarter is a great way to celebrate a Badger victory—although the band will play win or lose—and I can't recommend it enough.
STEP 1: When the tubas start the song, freak out and just start dancing. If you're not the dancing type, realize that everyone else around is moving like idiots too and just join in.
STEP 2: During the ""OOOOOOOOO"" chorus, put your hands up in the ""O"" shape you see people in Section O doing throughout the game.
STEP 3: If you're not sitting in Section O, shout ""SUCKS!"" Section O will respond with the grace and decency Wisconsin fans are known for with a ""FUCK YOU,"" to which your section will counter back, ""EAT SHIT,"" after which everyone resumes dancing.
STEP 4: Repeat steps 2 and 3 for the next few choruses, then stick around for one last rendition of ""Varsity"" before heading home. Or just go back to some random house in the Randall neighborhood for some postgaming.
Need some more dance lessons? E-mail Nico at savidgewilki@dailycardinal.com. Or look for him in the Kohl Center during hockey games.
