The Harlem Shake Dance Craze

The Harlem Shake has taken over the internet! Starting February of 2013, people everywhere have been uploading their own version of the Harlem Shake dance to YouTube. Typical videos begin with one or two people randomly dancing to the Baauer song “Harlem Shake” while others around seem oblivious. Once the beat drops, the video quickly changes to a room full of people dancing around in crazy costumes. For most, creating Harlem Shake videos are fun and harmless. However, some videos have crossed the line and participants may find themselves paying a high price for a few seconds of inappropriate dance moves. Such is the case for student-athletes who have taken the ‘shake’ too far and marred the reputation of their schools.

Nyack-Tappen Zee Hockey Team. Hockey players on the Nyack-Tappan Zee (NY) team were forced to forfeit their chance of winning the high school hockey playoffs after the team uploaded their locker room version of the Harlem Shake. The video was deemed inappropriate by school and athletic administrators.  

Calvary Baptist Academy Baseball Team.  Athletes from a parochial school in Shreveport, Louisiana were suspended after uploading a video of their team members ‘shaking’ to Baauer’s popular song.  The school considered the video inappropriate due to lack of clothing and raunchy dancing.

Susquehanna University Athletes. Mimicking sexual acts while performing the Harlem Shake resulted in 11 athletes from Susquehanna University, located in Philadelphia, to be suspended from the athletic program.  The offending students, football and track athletes, filmed the video in the University’s weight room.

You Make the Call.  Do you think the videos were inappropriate or harmless fun?  Take a look at the videos and decide for yourself.  But first a word of caution --- some of the videos may be considered unsuitable for young children:  Nyack-Tappen Zee (http://tinyurl.com/bzs3ket), Calvary Baptist Academy (http://tinyurl.com/bvagzv6), and Susquehanna University (http://tinyurl.com/c6c2lkz).

Although most Harlem Shake videos are tame and lighthearted, it is important to remember that all actions come with consequences particularly when posted online for the entire world to witness.