The “Harlem Shake” –– a viral video –– has finally made its way to Penn State. At 3 p.m. today, students will come together to create their own dance version of the video.
This flash mob, set to take place on the ground floor of the HUB-Robeson Center, is part of a two-step process to produce what the creators of this event hope to be one of the largest Harlem Shake videos yet, creator of the event on Facebook, Tracey Ann Edouard said.
On Feb. 22, hundreds of students showed up in costume to film the first part of this video. There are more than 800 RSVPs on the group’s Facebook page for the second part of filming that will occur in the HUB today.
“It’s a fun way for students to come together and have fun,” Edouard (senior-public relations) said. “It’s a way to show that Penn State speaks volumes and is not just an academic university.”
The “Harlem Shake” epidemic started on YouTube when a group of teenagers uploaded a video of themselves dancing in costumes to the song by DJ Baauer and it became public.
The original dance was introduced in 1981 in Harlem, N.Y., but is much more eccentric today.
The “Harlem Shake” videos usually begin with a masked individual dancing alone in a group. When the beat drops, others join in to create a wild and entertaining video that usually lasts no more than 30 seconds.
Since then, many other versions of the “Harlem Shake” video emerged.
The theme of Penn State’s version is 1855, which is “ironically the university’s birthday,” Edouard said.
Students attending the event are encouraged to invite friends and to bring costumes and props.
“I think it’s a fun way to get your friends together to do something that will make you laugh,” Ryan McEwen (sophomore-crime, law and justice) said.
Other students did not harbor the same sentiments.
“It’s a stupid fad that will die soon,” Joseph Dukovic (senior - accounting) said.
Funding for this event was made possible by former class of 2010 student and president of the University Park Undergraduate Association Christian Ragland.
“I am a supporter of the university, and I like to see everyone have a good time,” Ragland said. “The cost was nominal after all the opportunities this university has given me. I believe it is important for alumni to continue to invest in the student body.”
Creators of the event are grateful for funding provided by Ragland, Edouard said.
The compiled video will be published through State in the Real.
