The internet is no stranger to dance crazes. From the energetic shuffling craze inspired by LMFAO’s “Party Rock Anthem” to the enduring appeal of Genuwine’s “Pony,” online platforms have become breeding grounds for viral dance trends. However, few internet dance phenomena exploded quite like the Harlem Shake. This week in 2013, the Harlem Shake took over the internet, permeating online culture so rapidly it was hard to miss. You likely heard the distinctive track on public transport, in offices, or from your neighbor’s phone, and saw countless renditions across social media feeds. YouTube reported over 4,000 Harlem Shake videos uploaded daily at its peak, leaving many to wonder about the sudden hype surrounding this seemingly simple dance.
Unpacking the Harlem Shake Dance Phenomenon
At its core, a Harlem Shake video is typically a short, roughly 30-second clip set to Baauer’s instrumental track “Harlem Shake.” The video follows a simple yet effective formula: it begins with one person, often masked, performing quirky, individualistic dance moves amidst a group seemingly oblivious to them. Then, around the 15-second mark, coinciding with the song’s drop and the vocal cue “Do the Harlem Shake,” the video dramatically shifts. The beat intensifies, and suddenly everyone in the frame erupts into a collective, chaotic dance frenzy. This “Harlem Shake Dance,” while named after a move that originated in 1981, became something entirely new in this viral context. The modern internet manifestation of the Harlem Shake can be traced back to late January 2013 when YouTuber Filthy Frank posted a video featuring four individuals in spandex suits performing this now-signature routine. This initial spark ignited an internet wildfire, with countless users creating their own interpretations within days, birthing the 21st century’s latest major dance craze.
From Firefighters to Offices: The Widespread Appeal
The Harlem Shake’s appeal transcended demographics and communities. Groups from all walks of life were quick to create their own versions, showcasing the dance’s accessibility and infectious nature. Firefighters, university swim teams, and even corporate entities like Groupon, known for capitalizing on trends, jumped on the bandwagon. This widespread adoption, reaching from students to office workers and even parents, highlighted how deeply the Harlem Shake penetrated mainstream internet culture.
A Fad, Yes, But a Sign of the Times
Like most viral fads, the peak popularity of the Harlem Shake was relatively short-lived. Interest inevitably wanes as the internet moves on to the next sensation. However, the Harlem Shake’s rapid and widespread dissemination reveals something significant about how dance crazes evolve in the digital age. Dance crazes are not new; they’ve existed alongside popular music for generations. In the past, trends spread through social gatherings, music charts, and television. But the internet provides a new, hyper-efficient medium for transmission. Instead of learning the Charleston at a ballroom or buying a vinyl to master the Twist, today’s dance moves spread virally through platforms like YouTube and social media. Psy’s “Gangnam Style” and its ubiquitous horse-riding dance became a global phenomenon because of YouTube’s reach. Similarly, the Harlem Shake empowered anyone with a camera and internet access to participate and contribute. The ease of creating and sharing these videos, whether shuffling in a grocery store or performing the Harlem Shake with friends, underscores the democratizing power of the internet in shaping and spreading cultural trends. The Harlem Shake serves as a potent reminder of the enduring human desire to dance and connect, now amplified and accelerated by the digital world. It signifies not just a fleeting internet fad, but the ongoing evolution of dance crazes in the 21st century, promising more global dance phenomena in the years to come.
