Dance, Power, and Obama

Barack Obama not only inspired people to vote for him, but amoung various black communities, he got people up off their behinds and onto the dance floor. In this blog post, I am simply going to embed a number of the videos I've come across. But I do want to talk about at one point the way that these dances were "dropped" not just to have fun, but to imbue Obama with invincible grace: these dances are nkisi, powerprayers, dropped around the shoulders of Obama like a mantle of super-energy. In one video, and elder proclaims "this is the dance we will do when Obama wins." People felt it, even while political junkies were afraid to believe it. At the inauguration celebration in Oakland Oracle Arena, a woman declared that Obama was annointed.These dances reveal that fervor to celebrate "an instrument of god."

Truly, the thing that interests me here is dance as distillation. The dances here capture in turn, the joy of the campaign, the wonderment of collective desire and work, the strength of group visualization, and the idea that a body in motion is easier to move than one at rest.

Check it.


This song was released back in 2008. There are 3 videos showing how to do the dance. It is very dynamic and I love how they incorporated bits of Afro-Hatian dance. The arms going over while the foot comes forward looks like a dance called "maie" a harvest dance. Gorgeous.





This video includes contributions to the kinetic get-out-the-vote effort in Detroit and Miami. "Obama Hustle" from Detroit created by Crystal Smith; the "Barack & Michelle Obama Rock" created by Linda Halloway in Miami, Fl. I LOVE the Rock and don't know if I will ever get it. Ms. Halloway must have been a Grambling Girl! Syncopated is not a strong enough word.




This is the original video for the Obama Hustle. I found this video on Black Bottom.com originally. I love this one because it is all elders workin it. This dance is very subtle and sophisticated. I think the one above actually does not show it in its original form. IN this version, check out how difficult it is to figure out where to turn. I loved this because it reminded me of Obama's speeches...




This dance is an ode to the man himself: Barack's Grove. The choreographer, North Song and Illmatic Force, made this dance for a song by Tex -n- D. He actually did a study of how Barack was dancing on the Ellen Degeneres Show and of Obama's walk, stroll, and that infamous "dustin' his shoulder's off." This is a very clear instructional video, with a high level of difficulty to the dance. it is brilliant encapsulation of Barack Obama, though the frat brothers at the end kinda did not get his whole dignity thing. You'll see what I'm talkin about. Don't sleep on that slide though!




This dance by Terry Dwight Coleman also comes with a song he made up. The dance is really a phrase, and he explains how you can change it as you wish. It seems to turn, but really it just dips back and is done mostly facing the front. Would probably be a good partner dance.





Not much of a dance, this retro-rap video by Bob Brown is just a groove. Again, it takes its choreographic inspiration from Obama's own moves on television. Cute fun, especially when he says he pulled his pants up. Go Obama!





This last one was dedicated by the performer, Cupid, to Obama. He talked about that with Steve Harvey. I have to relocate the video where he is overcome with emotion, talking about the love that Obama was bringing. This one is simple and really enjoyable.

So there is a lot to say about these dances. There are also spontaneous dances on the internet where people just started grooving at Obama rallies and were caught in the act. I find it all fascinating, obviously, but telling. here on Day 3 of the new Obama Administration, already a LOT has changed with Guantanomo Bay closing and birth control freedom being restored globally to NGOs that receive funds from the US Government. I wonder if we will see more dances cropping up to celebrate the inauguration? The dances above were all created in advance of the win so that people would have something constructive to do on the night of the win.

I guess we should all get busy making new phrases to keep folks occupied as the economy continues to tank...Maybe we can take these dances as maps and figure out a way to make a whole lot with just a little.

(c)Anna B. Scott