Clips show French President Emmanuel Macron and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy dancing.
Stand up for the facts!
Our only agenda is to publish the truth so you can be an informed participant in democracy.
We need your help.
I would like to contribute
These clips of Emmanuel Macron and Volodymyr Zelenskyy dancing are altered
If Your Time is short
-
These videos were altered. The clips of French President Emmanuel Macron dancing were altered from footage of a California dance club in the 1980s.
-
The video of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy belly dancing was altered from a dancer’s video originally uploaded in 2020.
-
Here’s how PolitiFact chooses which statements to fact-check.
As the Russian offensive against Ukraine continues, Instagram users reacted to a video showing what looks like the presidents of France and Ukraine having the time of their lives.
Part of the clip showed a montage of what looked like French President Emmanuel Macron dancing in different outfits and hairstyles, wearing makeup and wigs. Another portion showed someone resembling Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy belly dancing in a red outfit.
"Presidente de Francia Macron??? Presidente de Ucrania Zelenski???" read the text in the March 19 Instagram video. Translated from Spanish, it says, "President of France Macron??? President of Ukraine Zelensky???"
(Screenshot from Instagram)
This post was flagged as part of Meta’s efforts to combat false news and misinformation on its News Feed. (Read more about our partnership with Meta, which owns Facebook and Instagram.)
Sign up for PolitiFact texts
Reverse-image search results show these clips are fake.
Most clips from the Macron dancing montage appear to have been altered from videos uploaded by YouTube channel StratusDanceClub in a series called "Circa 1986-1987." We skimmed this series and saw 14 out of 20 clips from the Instagram video — and none of them show Macron.
Featured Fact-check
(Screenshots from Instagram, StratusDanceClub’s YouTube channel)
According to the YouTube channel’s bio, the Stratus dance club opened in San Diego in 1978 and closed in June 1987. Macron was born in December 1977 and would’ve been 9 years old when the club shuttered.
The video supposedly showing Zelenskyy belly dancing was also altered. We found a copy of the original video posted on Instagram Feb. 7, 2022, and the person dancing bears no resemblance to Zelenskyy. Fact-checkers found that TikTok user @vusaaal first posted the video in October 2020.
We rate the claim these videos show Macron and Zelenskyy dancing Pants on Fire!
Our Sources
Instagram post (archived), March 19, 2024
StratusDanceClub YouTube Channel description, accessed March 21, 2024
StratusDanceClub YouTube channel, Circa 1986-1987 Part One, July 11, 2009
StratusDanceClub YouTube channel, Circa 1986-1987 Part Two, July 13, 2009
StratusDanceClub YouTube channel, Circa 1986-1987 Part Three, July 15, 2009
StratusDanceClub YouTube channel, Circa 1986-1987 Part Five, July 20, 2009
StratusDanceClub YouTube channel, Circa 1986-1987 Part Seven, July 26, 2009
Élysée, Emmanuel Macron, accessed March 21, 2024
Instagram post, Feb. 7, 2022
StopFake, Fake video: Zelenskyy dances an oriental dance, Jan. 5, 2024
France 24, Did Volodymyr Zelensky just belly dance? Sorry, no: it’s a deepfake, Jan. 12, 2024
Check Your Fact, Fact Check: No, video of man dancing in red outfit is not Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Jan. 17, 2024
TikTok video, Oct. 16, 2020
Snopes, Video Shows French President Emmanuel Macron in Club 'Before His Political Life'?, March 1, 2024
Browse the Truth-O-Meter
More by Loreben Tuquero
These clips of Emmanuel Macron and Volodymyr Zelenskyy dancing are altered
Support independent fact-checking.
Become a member!
In a world of wild talk and fake news, help us stand up for the facts.