# Puttin' On The Ritz: Moscow Style **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 21, 2012, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/puttin-on-the-ritz-moscow-style/625875 "2012-06-21T19:18:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Cartooniverse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cartooniverse/32/3084_2.png) [@Cartooniverse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartooniverse)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2012, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/puttin-on-the-ritz-moscow-style/625875/1 "2012-06-21T19:18:54Z")
Joyous and energetic !! [Puttin On The Ritz](http://www.youtube.com/embed/KgoapkOo4vg?rel=0). 😃 ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2012, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/puttin-on-the-ritz-moscow-style/625875/2 "2012-06-21T20:32:10Z")
How come they all know the words? 😕 ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2012, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/puttin-on-the-ritz-moscow-style/625875/3 "2012-06-21T20:39:57Z")
The same reason they all know the dance steps, silly. ---
**Author:** ![Cartooniverse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cartooniverse/32/3084_2.png) [@Cartooniverse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartooniverse)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2012, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/puttin-on-the-ritz-moscow-style/625875/4 "2012-06-21T20:40:02Z")
Are you not familiar with a flash mob ? They knew the words because they’ve spent weeks/ months rehearsing the dance and listening to the song. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2012, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/puttin-on-the-ritz-moscow-style/625875/5 "2012-06-21T20:46:49Z")
> [@Cartooniverse](#): > > Are you not familiar with a flash mob ? > > They knew the words because they’ve spent weeks/ months rehearsing the dance and listening to the song. Nooooooooooo kidding?!? :dubious: I wondered the same thing when I first saw _West Side Story._ Now I know the truth: _ **It wasn’t really spontaneous!** _**[Gasps in horror.]** :eek: :smack: ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2012, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/puttin-on-the-ritz-moscow-style/625875/6 "2012-06-21T20:53:46Z")
If you are wondering _how they learned_ the words, they did it phonetically. You should have also noted that they got the lyrics wrong, which is _also_ a sign that they don’t know what the words mean. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2012, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/puttin-on-the-ritz-moscow-style/625875/7 "2012-06-21T21:00:22Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > If you are wondering _how they learned_ the words, they did it phonetically. You should have also noted that they got the lyrics wrong, which is _also_ a sign that they don’t know what the words mean. Yeah, after living in Moscow for the last 20 years, I kinda figured that. 😉 The observation platform they were on, BTW, is at Sparrow Hills, overlooking Luzhniki Stadium at the big bend in the Moscow River. The Kremlin lies maybe three or four miles past the stadium. The tall structure in the background (and I’m not talking about the ski jump on the right) is the main building of Moscow State University. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2012, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/puttin-on-the-ritz-moscow-style/625875/8 "2012-06-21T21:10:40Z")
That is pretty fuckin’ wild. A professional flash mob. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2012, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/puttin-on-the-ritz-moscow-style/625875/9 "2012-06-21T21:15:39Z")
What’s the stadium in the background? Was that erected for the 1980 Olympic Games, or is that something else? I’m amazed they were out there dancing, even in parkas, in Moscow in February. _That’s_ dedication! ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2012, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/puttin-on-the-ritz-moscow-style/625875/10 "2012-06-21T21:21:12Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > What’s the stadium in the background? Was that erected for the 1980 Olympic Games, or is that something else? It’s called Luzhniki Stadium, and it’s been there since at least the 1950s. (The University opened in 1947, as I recall, and back then, that was pretty much the edge of town.) German POWs were probably used to build it before being repatriated in 1955. The big Olympic Stadium is on the north side of town. (The 1980 Olympic Village is in the southwest, near where I live.) The name “Luzhniki” comes from the word for swamp or wetlands, which is what that area used to be many years ago. ---
**Author:** ![Greg\_Charles](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/839c29/32.png) [@Greg\_Charles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Greg_Charles)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2012, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/puttin-on-the-ritz-moscow-style/625875/11 "2012-06-21T21:54:04Z")
Was “the bride” a Russian celebrity? They seemed to be chanting “Olga, Olga” at the end, but that could have just been part of the show. Also, who’s Harry Cooper? 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2012, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/puttin-on-the-ritz-moscow-style/625875/12 "2012-06-21T22:01:51Z")
Sheldon’s brother. You don’t want to be like him…😃 ---
**Author:** ![Odesio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/odesio/32/20003_2.png) [@Odesio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odesio)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2012, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/puttin-on-the-ritz-moscow-style/625875/13 "2012-06-21T22:18:01Z")
How old was that boom box? ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2012, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/puttin-on-the-ritz-moscow-style/625875/14 "2012-06-21T22:18:21Z")
> [@Greg\_Charles](#): > > Was “the bride” a Russian celebrity? They seemed to be chanting “Olga, Olga” at the end, but that could have just been part of the show. > > Also, who’s Harry Cooper? 🙂 Not so far as I know, but I don’t follow Russian pop culture all that much. My daughter might know (she’s half Russian), but she’s in Canada. I’ll send her an e-mail and ask… You’re not serious with that last question, are you? :dubious: Oddly enough, Russians usually get it the other way around: they tend to substitute “G” for “H.” So as far as they’re concerned, the leader of Nazi Germany was Adolf Gitler. Most likely they have no idea who Gary Cooper was, much less how to pronounce his name. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2012, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/puttin-on-the-ritz-moscow-style/625875/15 "2012-06-21T22:20:26Z")
> [@Odesio](#): > > How old was that boom box? Probably been in his family for at least the last 30 years! 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2012, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/puttin-on-the-ritz-moscow-style/625875/16 "2012-06-21T22:31:05Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > I’m amazed they were out there dancing, even in parkas, in Moscow in February. _That’s_ dedication! Well, dancing is one way to keep warm! ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2012, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/puttin-on-the-ritz-moscow-style/625875/17 "2012-06-21T22:39:28Z")
> [@Musicat](#): > > Well, dancing is one way to keep warm! It actually doesn’t get that cold in Moscow in February; January is usually the one _really, really_ cold month. It looked to me like the temperature that day was right around zero Celsius. I’ve heard it used to get much colder here in the winter, but these things tend to run in cycles (1941 was the coldest winter on record, I think). If you want really frigid daytime temperatures nowadays, you have to go farther east, into Siberia. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2012, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/puttin-on-the-ritz-moscow-style/625875/18 "2012-06-22T00:37:30Z")
They’re not singing; they’re lip synching. But it’s a fun piece, the type of prank that Improv Everywhere does in the US. ---
**Author:** ![Jeff\_Lichtman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jeff_lichtman/32/1531_2.png) [@Jeff\_Lichtman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jeff_Lichtman)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2012, 5:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/puttin-on-the-ritz-moscow-style/625875/19 "2012-06-22T05:58:19Z")
> [@terentii](#): > > The name “Luzhniki” comes from the word for swamp or wetlands, which is what that area used to be many years ago. The Russian Fenway Park! ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2012, 8:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/puttin-on-the-ritz-moscow-style/625875/20 "2012-06-22T08:20:28Z")
> [@Jeff\_Lichtman](#): > > The Russian Fenway Park! Actually, “marsh” would be a better translation. The word for “swamp” (like, I suppose, the ones they have in Louisiana) is _boloto_. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/puttin-on-the-ritz-moscow-style/625875.md?page=2)