The REAL Harlem Shake

A few months back I can probably guarantee that only 5% of the world knew what a Harlem Shake was - maybe even less. However, thanks to a YouTube video gone viral, the Harlem Shake has become a household name.

The original Harlem Shake is one of my favourite dances. It's got funk, got style and doable anytime anywhere. I don't keep up with fads so when I heard a lot of people talking about the Harlem Shake there was this pride that erupted - I thought finally, the world will know it. Nek minit...

Now I can take a joke, and when I see people spazzing out doing a Harlem Shake - it is a little funny. There is, however, a line between funny and downright disrespectful.

Here is the Harlem Shake most people know of. This video is probably my favourite fake shake and also an informative video for those who live in a cave.

And this is the original Harlem Shake featured in G-Dep's music video, the dance is everywhere but my favourite is probably the little boy at 1:50-2:05, and the girl at 3:45 until the very end of the video:

Just watch the dancers in the video doing the shake. That's real stuff right there, funky huh? 

Even Big Bang does the original - especially T.O.P, who dances with 2 left feet, can co-ordinate his body to just shake it like he means it. It's universally awesome. Check this vid - since it's a long vid, here are the cheat times: 7:25 to see one of the YG dancers doing the shake in the background - resist the temptation to watch Taeyang in the foreground, and 9:25 to watch T.O.P's shake. Who the heck goes to dance practice with such fancy clothing? Koreans. T.O.P. Classy people. I geddit.

Now you see that the original Harlem Shake had next to nothing in similarities with the widely known Harlem Shake. There's no stripping or humping - it's clean and funky. The Harlem Shake of today is absolutely an abomination to the true Harlem Shake. Who better to critique that than the inventors and makers of the original Harlem Shake.

It truly is an appropriation of a dance that had history. It was created purely for expression and to create a sense of identity and culture. To have it taken away from them and to have it labelled as something that it's not is an utmost disrespect for their art.

I still look forward to the day when people will know the true Harlem Shake. Actually, I'd like it better to stay underground. Just like the man in the video said - it might just become the centre of commercialization. When things get commercialized you know it really does kill authenticity.

You know what would be cool? If people do the Harlem Shake and actually record themselves doing the real Harlem Shake. Honestly, it would suck if children look up how to do the Harlem Shake only to find all these crap.

I agree that dance is something that EVERYONE can do and should be allowed to do - but to label that as a form of dance is a big no.