There’s something about dance that elicits joy. Something about moving together in rhythm that even when a common language isn’t shared, the beauty of moving together unites people with smiles and laughter. Something about someone dancing badly that gives license to those around to feel comfortable to join in.
I may be one of the last people on the planet that has seen this video. It has been watched by almost 30 million people…there’s something pretty special about it.
sitellite/util/snippets (code=1259e9aadbcba231bb75c52af665d8b9)
Matt is a guy that quit his job and travelled around the world, chronicling his journey by dancing (self-confessed) badly. Eventually, he got a sponsor and a website and arranged to have people join him in the fun. Sometimes he would just show up and ask the children around to join him. And they did.
When he was accused of faking it, he gave a talk that tongue-in-cheek admitted to going to all the work of animatronics, submersing airplanes in a pool etc. as a farce against the accusations. He goes on, at the end of that video to say:
“People bought it…they sent me responses by the thousands. People were expressing profound joy, of feeling connected to the whole world by watching the simple act of uncoordinated, unselfconscious silliness shared by everyone. And it got me thinking from these responses. Wouldn’t it be cool if it was real, if it wasn’t a hoax? It wouldn’t really solve anything, it would change anything, our problems are still our problems, but as clich and as saccharine as it sounds, maybe there’s some value in being reminded in the basic stuff we all have in common.”
He then goes on to finish his presentation by asking his audience to join him in dancing badly, “Come on up, do whatever your body feels like doing, you can’t do it worse that me”…and they do. And it’s beautiful.
It brings tears to my eyes as people join in a moment of magical unity.
Write a Comment