By Fleet Wilson, Staff Writer
Some of society’s most influential movements are born from small beginnings. Jesus Christ was born in a manger, Abraham Lincoln was born in a log cabin, and the hottest dance craze of 2017 was born from a 30 second clip of prolific rapper Kodak Black, back in the studio, fresh out of a lengthy stint in prison. Small beginnings indeed.
It is hard to say what exactly warrants viral content, as the internet age has ushered in a era of unexpected hits, including Ken Bone, Alex from Target or the Mannequin Challenge. At the forefront of this wave of internet stardom is dance crazes. You may not realize it, but you are a victim of dances that permeate our society through the means of Twitter or Instagram. If you have ever been to a Thanksgiving dinner where a family member hit the “dab” or attempted to “nae nae,” then you know exactly what I’m talking about.
Hip hop culture has become the curator of such trends, using famous rappers and athletes to propel various dances to new heights. The “dab”, a dance spawned from Atlanta rap group Migos, saw worldwide exposure thanks to Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton. After eviscerating opposing defences on his way to the end zone and a 15-1 regular season, Newton would unleash a vicious dab, a move where you pretty much just pretend like you are sneezing into your arm, to signify his dominance. By now, you have most likely encountered the dab, and have probably grown weary of its cultural prevalence. So now the question on everyone’s mind is: What’s next?
The answer may be found in a video that is making reverberations through Twitter. Kodak Black, the rapper behind such hit smashes such as “No Flockin” and “Like Dat”, released a snippet from his latest recordings in the studio, during which he provides the world with a dance move so simple yet so effective that it may reach “dab” level autonomy. The dance has yet to be officially named, but the term “Kodak Bop” or simply “the Kodak Dance” have been floated out for consideration.
Students at Reynolds are already digging the new dance. Sophomore Brad Knight voiced his opinion on the craze.
“The dance is an excellent mix of clean, catchy and stylish. The move is really crispy (when done properly),” Knight said. “When I see someone doing it, I don’t think ‘wow they look goofy’, I think ‘that’s pretty dope.’ One of the things that I think makes the dance so catchy and popular is how nonchalant it is.”
The move is so easy, even your grandma could pull it off. Just put on a popular rap song, wait until the beat drops, then proceed to put your hands by your hips in a fist, and sway them from side to side. What makes moves such as this and the “dab” so popular is their cross-cultural accessibility. You do not need to be a dance major or any street cred to look insanely cool while doing this. It took me a mere 5 minutes of practice to master the move, and I am now a certified social influencer.
“The Kodak Dance is something that is getting hot right now. It’s blowing up on Twitter and it is garnering a following that extends past its trap dance roots” Junior Andrew Rawlings explained. “I think it’s the next big thing.”
The enthusiasm of the students at RJR may not be matched by their teachers, as demonstrated by AP Psychology in her response to the new moves.
“I just don’t care for it,” House said emphatically.
This dance is only lacking one major aspect of worldwide domination, which is an athlete or celebrity adopting the dance, propelling it pop culture lore. Be on the lookout for an athlete with a large following, such as Odell Beckham Jr. or Lebron James, to co-sign this dance and certify its social status.
