Forget Red Sox Fever. Forget "Saturday Night Fever." Forget about "Dancing with the Stars." It's Red Sox Dance Fever.
Move over, John Travolta, it's Red Sox relief pitcher Jonathan Papelbon leaving the mound and taking center stage.
After the Red Sox topped the Cleveland Indians in the seventh game of the American League Championship series before nail-biting home fans Sunday night, No. 58 strutted his stuff with the Papelbon dance.
Experts aren't sure if it's a two-step, a clog dance or the Highland Fling. Heading into the World Series, no one cares. Whatever the name of the dance, the fun-loving right-hander fired up Red Sox Nation and has taken the Papelbon dance craze to a frantic fevered pitch.
Tonight, Arthur Murray Dance Studio in Natick plans to show Red Sox fans the art of the Papelbon dance. Nancy Kelley Dance Studio, also in Natick is offering to teach the entire Red Sox team the dance.
``Get the whole team to come to the studio and learn a good kick line to present to their fans when they win the World Series,'' said Nancy Kelley, owner, dancer, and founder of Nancy Kelley Dance Studio in Natick. ``And when they dance the stage should be the top of the dugout.''
Kelley thinks Papelbon danced the Highland Fling, which she finds appropriate.
``After the Scots won a battle, they would do the Highland Fling,'' she said.
And it was a battle won by the Red Sox.
Kelley, who began teaching neighborhood friends to dance at 9 years old, has a keen eye for talent.
``He looks like he should be with the Rockettes,'' said Kelley, who is also offering a free Palpelbon dance lesson to school-age children Friday at 7 p.m. If you're interested, call 508-655-0332.
``He's got the personality in his dance, but I think he needs a little more spring training to get a little more technique,'' said Kelley.
Olga Stepanets owner of Arthur Murray Dance Studio at Natick Crossing plans to get fans into practice with the new Papelbon dance.
``In the spirit of the Red Sox, we will be teaching the Papelbon dance at 8:30 tonight,'' said Stepanets, who believes the dance is based on the Irish Step Dance.
Locals, too, are testing their talent.
Tuesday night at Sports Treasures at the Natick Collection, where Red Sox T-shirts were a very popular item, Kathryn Faraci of Framingham showed her boyfriend, Derek Lincoln of Framingham, the Irish Two Step. Accompanied by music from Neil Diamond singing ``Sweet Caroline'' on the Boom Box Lincoln picked up the beat.
But not everyone considered the Papelbon dance a cakewalk.
``I love the dance, but I can't look as good as (Papelbon),'' said Paolo Cabonos of Ashland. ``Maybe if I made as much money as Papelbon, I'd do the dance.''
Kathy Uek can be reached at 508-626-4419.