While I consider myself somewhat savy as to what is currently popular in tody's culture (while at the same time proudly proclaiming I've never seen an episode of "American Idol") yesterday's New York Times <http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/08/arts/television/08dancer.html?_r=1&oref=slogin> exposed us to the world of Matt Harding and a phenomenon I've never witnessed.
Matt is evidently into his 3rd generation of "dance videos". What makes it interesting is not Matt's dancing (NYT calls him "doughy-looking" and a "doofus") but the locales and locals who join in - from Timbuktu (the real one in Africa) to "The Bean" in Chicago, from Antarctica to Nellis Air Force Base, where he "dances" in zero-g on the "vomit comet". Part of the attraction is Matt's consistency in step and meter, and largely for the exhuberance of the kids and locals who join in goofy lockstep with him.
While I can count my annual visits to Youtube on my fingers, Matt has convinced me to stop by more often for gems like these. If you have the bandwidth, you've got to watch it in "high quality"!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zlfKdbWwruY
Great post Dean! As is the usual case, the NYT got it all wrong. Matt isn't "doughy" and the music isn't "new agey"
ReplyDeleteMatt's video made me smile and it's a great expose on how dance can be such a universal language of joy and maybe even peace. Thanks for the smile : ) from a once upon a time, and for all time dancer.
Blessings to you and Melinda.
Laurel