File:Hampster dance.gif

I (the uploader) personally created this image from the official hamster dance website, at http://www.hampsterdance.com/classics/originaldance.htm. (warning: this link tried to access my keychain then wouldn't allow me to close Safari!?) It is believed that the software and content on the website from which the screen capture was generated belong to Abatis International, LLC (as identified on the website), which in turn acquired exclusive rights from the original creator.

In general: this screen capture contains as small a portion of the original content as is required to illustrate the key visual aspect of the hamster dance, namely a repetitive array of simple monochromatic cartoony pictures of hamsters and rabbits. It is missing the key elements of animation (i.e. other frames of these cartoons) and music and is therefore not at all a substitute for or competitive with the purpose of the copyrighted content, which is to amuse people. No free use alternative is available because any visual rendition of the Hampster Dance must necessarily be the actual Hampster Dance, which is copyrighted.

For article Hampster Dance. The graphic content of the image is a primary subject of critical commentary in the article. Including the images is necessary for people to identify the hamster dance animation (which they may have seen but do not know by name or description), and also to fully explain the visuals, which cannot easily be described in words.

For article Internet Meme. The graphic content of the image is the subject of critical commentary in the article, and is significant to the article both because the Hampster Dance is the first well known Internet meme, and illustrates some characteristic components of Internet memes (e.g. silliness, amusement value). No good alternative exists because this is one of if not the most iconic and instantly recognizable Internet meme, and any other Internet meme used to illustrate the topic will almost certainly be under copyright itself. This is the best one.

This work is copyrighted (or assumed to be copyrighted) and unlicensed. It does not fall into one of the blanket acceptable non-free content categories listed at Wikipedia:Non-free content § Images or Wikipedia:Non-free content § Audio clips, and it is not covered by a more specific non-free content license listed at Category:Wikipedia non-free file copyright templates. However, it is believed that the use of this work: To illustrate the subject in question Where no free equivalent is available or could be created that would adequately give the same information On the English-language Wikipedia, hosted on servers in the United States by the non-profit Wikimedia Foundation, qualifies as fair use under United States copyright law. Any other uses of this image, on Wikipedia or elsewhere, may be copyright infringement. See Wikipedia:Non-free content and Wikipedia:Copyrights. Fair use //en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Hampster_dance.gif true