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Where Did The Video Of The Raccoon Dancing To 'Pedro' In A Circle Come From? The Russian Meme Explained
A video of an adorable baby raccoon vibing out in a fish eye lens has become every EDM lover on TikTok's spirit animal. Internet users posting the clip and trying to sync up the raccoon's little waving claws to the beat of their favorite song, even as the animal spins across the screen barely aware of how famous he is about to become.
Over in Russia, the video of the raccoon spinning in a circle while bopping to EDM music is already a viral meme, with some people trading in footage of their own pets in place of the critter. But where did the video of the raccoon even come from, and how did it come to be used like the famous CatJAM meme from 2020? Here's a little history lesson on the raccoon dancing in a circle.
Where Did The Video Of The Baby Raccoon Originate?
The video of the cute baby raccoon dancing in a circle first appeared on TikTok in late September 2023. In a video posted by TikToker @fleksa30, the raccoon can be seen vibing to the song "Kak Dela?" by MZLFF & LIDA.
As the tempo of the music rises, the raccoon appears on the screen in a little beige circle, his claws popping out as he spins along the edges of the lens. The video gathered over 9 million views on TikTok in the months since it was posted.
https://www.tiktok.com/embed/v2/7281994949200055557
How Did The Raccoon Dancing In A Circle Video Become A Meme?
The video did not gain traction online until March 2024, but EDM producer Blage did post the video paired with his own music in February, raking in over a million likes in the process.
But it wasn't until March that the dancing raccoon clip came to be used as a meme, with TikToker @malykha2114 posting the raccoon as part of a video where he bragged about the sound system in his car. The next day, TikToker @lowbass_96 showed what music blasts out of their speakers using the raccoon as a helpful guide. Both videos neared a million views within a month of being posted.
https://www.tiktok.com/embed/v2/7343985009092496647
https://www.tiktok.com/embed/v2/7344556995313208596
These videos set off a firestorm of raccoon dancing clips, eventually inspiring parodies such as the one posted by @anastasiya_guliyta featuring her puppy.
https://www.tiktok.com/embed/v2/7345151695753661698
https://www.tiktok.com/embed/v2/7351754405944806661
For the full history of the raccoon dancing in a circle, be sure to check out Know Your Meme's encyclopedia entry for more information.
