Mailbox dancing
The content of this article is not part of official Warcraft lore, but has nevertheless become part of the World of Warcraft culture or community.
Mailbox dancing is the act of standing on top of a mailbox and using the /dance emote. This highly productive use of time was commonplace early in the game's history when mailboxes were significantly rarer and each major city only had a small handful each, usually near a bank or auction house (the main Horde city of Orgrimmar had the staggering number of two, while the Alliance equivalent Ironforge had four), and therefore became natural congregation points for large groups of AFKing players who apparently had nothing better to do.
Most infamously, some players of female characters (especially female night elves, due to their suggestive dance animation) would allegedly remove their character's gear and then dance on a mailbox while asking for tips from nearby players in the hopes that it would serve as a quick and easy way to earn gold.
With the number of mailboxes in major cities and the game world at large steadily increasing with later expansions, mailbox dancers are now a much rarer sight.
Blizzard references
- In the story "How to Win Friends" from the Legends Volume 1 manga, a dwarf in the Thunderbrew Distillery is heard saying: "... dancing on a mailbox! Right there in the town square...!"
[Brazie's Notes on Naughty Night Elves] mentions that "we've all heard the tales of Night Elf lasses dancing on mailboxes and stripping to pay for Nightsaber training".- The Legion Alpha - Patch Note Preview from 2016 April Fools state that: "Signs have been placed over many mailboxes with the words “Dance Studio,” to promote awareness of this feature which has existed in the game for over a decade."
- The 7.8.0 Patch Notes from 2017 April Fools include a mention that Legion legendary items now have a chance to drop from various low-effort activities, including fishing, taking a flight path, and "Dancing on a mailbox while AFK".
- The meme is referenced by Mailbox Dancer, a neutral minion card from the United in Stormwind expansion in Hearthstone. The card's Coin-based effect and attack quote reference the practice of giving tips to mailbox dancers, and the flavor text reads: He is the reason why we have 7 mailboxes in this district.