https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EkDoy2DpL0c
For those who don’t dance, dance challenges can be daunting, frightening thing, despite the fact that many of them are created to be user friendly. Having to learn and remember a series of steps and then perform them in a flash mob or any crowd can be nerve-wracking. Now imagine being part of a movement where no movement is required at all! Perplexed? Then read on.
The huge popularity of most viral dance crazes, is said to be in part due to their ease and simplicity. That when paired with a catchy tune and the novelty of becoming part of a global movement can make such trends irresistible. This latest viral craze to dominate hashtags ain’t your average Whip/Nae-Nae or Gangnam style choreography, in fact, it couldn’t be more different. It’s simple, stylish and minimal on actual movement. Called the Manneqin Challenge, it is named for its key element which is to do a creative pose then hold it, as if frozen like a window dressing mannequin. And much like the mannequins that decorate department store displays with stylish garb, these mannequin dancers aim to catch the eye of passers by and hold their attention with glances of curiosity and intrigue.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z21kVkOAmYQ
The cast of Dancing With the Stars takes a pause from shooting to hold their best mannequin pose.
Although some might argue that this is not dancing, I would contend that dance isn’t just made up of a series of moves, but also a series of poses. Styles like contemporary are largely based on a series of flowing movements that at times become staccato and then suddenly freeze for a moment or two. Many dance styles are in fact a series of poses, like captivating still shots from an artists portfolio. From dramatic theatric works to ome modern street dance styles such as animation, which are also often based off of a series of continuous movements that sometimes give way to a mannequin like pause or freeze.
South Dakota State University dance team shows off their lines with the mannequin.
The best part about this motionless movement is that anyone can do it. All it takes is for one person or a group of people to hold a pose in the middle of some sort of movement or action while it’s filmed, then upload the video with the hashtag #Mannequin challenge. It’s that simple. It’s largely began with teenagers and college students, but like many other viral trends these days, has caught the attention of the likes of celebrities like Adele, Beyonce, the Dallas Cowboys team and others, and only grows bigger with each new participant and post. Not unlike the viral dance challenges out there, the videos are set to music, most common “Black Beatles” by Rae Sremmurd, but unlike the ice bucket challenge, plank challenge (remember that one?), and other non-dance challenges, they are always set to some sort of upbeat music.
All in all, as silly as it may seem to some, this is something that brings people together; parents with their kids, dancers with non-dancers, old and young and so on. If you haven’t jumped on the bandwagon yet, what are you waiting for? And what would your go to mannequin move be?
*First video clip courtesy of Dez’s dance class.
