Saskatoon StarPhoenix

WHO’S THE NEXT DANCER -IN-CHIEF?

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President Obama knows how to liven up the dance floor. And as his latest impromptu performanc­e shows, he’s not intimidate­d by competitio­n. At the state dinner in Argentina, Obama gamely tried out the tango with a profession­al dancer. He made headlines when he broke out into a line dance in Kenya last year, and his adorkable dad moves at the 2014 Christmas tree lighting sent the country into a frenzy. With November fast approachin­g, the time to pass the mantle is nearly here. Are his potential replacemen­ts qualified?

Hillary Clinton showed that she could break it down while she was secretary of state. Her sojourn onto the South African dance floor incited a huge stir in 2012, and since then she has shown no fear when taken outside her comfort zone on the dance floor. While maybe not as graceful as our current dancer in chief, Clinton showed she was at least willing to try to learn the elusive whip and nae nae on “Ellen” last year.

Bernie Sanders has inspired a plethora of dance moves while on the campaign trail. Supporters bring out the Bernie Bump and the Big Bern at rallies. His roots as a recorded folksinger — yes, you heard that right — were on display when he sang and swayed with Vampire Weekend.

On the Republican side, front-runner Donald Trump has showed off his moves on more than one occasion. His parody of Drake’s Hotline Bling showed that maybe there’s a glimmer of hope for the future of dance in a Trump White House. And maybe he’ll pick up some moves from his ex-wife and current Dancing with the Stars contestant Marla Maples.

John Kasich was loving his playlist at a rally in Michigan earlier this year, and cut a rug for the crowd of supporters. He definitely has the dad dancing down, but hasn’t showed it off since the race.

Ted Cruz showed a softer side when he twirled his daughter around earlier this month at CNN’s Republican debate. But other than that, Cruz hasn’t showcased moves to rival Obama’s — yet.

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