STOP THAT FREAKIN' DANCIN'
I recently read a Los Angeles Times article, written by Staff Writers Seema Mehta and Ashley Powers, titled: “O.C. high school writes rules to take 'freak' out of dancing,” As Nixon might have said, “I am not a prude,” however, as a former dance show host, I felt I must add my two cents.In case you’re not on the same planet as today’s teen-agers and haven’t heard of freak dancing, take my word for it; it’s the latest rage. Critics explain, “The dance’s carnal positions - girl bent at the waist, boy thrusting behind her - go far beyond previous generations’ bumping and grinding.” My question: “Do all those freaking kids really know what the freak they are doing?” It’s quite obvious, fellow Mouse Cliquers, this is not the Hully Gully we are talking about here.
According to the LA Times article, the principal of the south Orange County California high school has lifted a nearly three-month-long dancing ban he instituted after seeing teenagers' sexually suggestive moves at school dances that were "one step from events that should be occurring on wedding nights."
“The principal’s new guidelines forbid students from ‘straddling each other's legs, bending over, dancing front-to-back, grinding, touching breasts, buttocks or genitals, or ‘making out,’ and require students to keep both feet on the floor.’”
Huh?
Can you baby boomers possibly imagine having to live by rules like these when you went to high school? “No touching buttocks or genitals?” School principals seemed to have turned into real fuddy-duddies. How can the kids of today have any fun at all?
One 15-year old sophomore fought back, “Do we now have to dance 3 feet apart and yell to our date, 'Hey I'm having a great time?'” She predicted that the rules might keep students off the dance floor.
And all along you thought the kids just wanted to dance. Time to get real.
Let’s clear this up once and for all. The name “Freak Dancing” is not meant to describe weird looking people dancing the night away. “Freak” is the now acceptable “F-word;” One that a radio or TV personality can utter without being fined by the Federal Communications Commission (as in, “Freak the freakin’ FCC!”).
The kids of today must think we boomers were really square back in the good old Sex, Drugs, and Rock & Roll 60s. For instance note Little Eva in the above picture with her pretty white party dress and me in my narrow suit and tie lining up those hip kids for “The (freaking?) Locomotion.” We all thought we were pretty HIP in those days. And we were, actually. However, what we were not was “hip-hop.”
THE USUAL SUSPECTS
It has been suggested that, “all this Freak dancing is inspired by rap artists, rap lyrics and the overly sexual images in hip-hop videos.” I agree. Those videos look pretty sexy to me. That is, when those sexy professionals dance.
However, I must ask this question. Why aren’t today’s students laughing? It has to be a hilarious sight with all those non-sexy amateurs trying to ape the hip-hop dancers they watch on music videos. Bumping and grinding? Straddling each other's legs? Bending over, dancing front-to-back? Grinding? Touching breasts, buttocks or genitals, and making out? That should be pretty hysterical stuff. Has the hip-hop generation completely lost its sense of humor? All those high-school geeks we all remember so well back in the 60s weren’t nearly as funny. Gag me with a spoon (spoon: to kiss, embrace, or fondle with sexual passion)!
Does anyone have a comment on how to curb this craze before kids completely freak out? Can’t ban hip-hop videos. Wouldn’t work. That would just make them go under cover (pun intended).
I have a thought. Let the Rap singers and Hip-Hop dancers continue as before but ONLY if they display this disclaimer at the end of every video.
“THE DANCERS YOU SEE HERE ARE PROFESSIONALS.
DO NOT TRY THIS YOURSELF.”
DO NOT TRY THIS YOURSELF.”
Stay tuned.
posted by Lloyd Thaxton at 1:44 PM
5 Comments:
I say LET THEM DANCE! If they wanna freak dance, let them. I'm not saying I like the music or the dances, but geeeeeezzz, our parents didn't like our freaking music or freaking dances either. After all, what do you think the term "rock & roll" means anyway? Ever hear the song "Sixty Minute Man" by Billy Ward & The Dominoes, from 1951? I LOVE that song....."I'll rock 'em, roll 'em all night long, I'm a sixty minute man". Rock & Roll ain't just a freaking term for a type of freaking music.......
NEXT!
Gary
4:59 PM
It's a weird world we live in today... but my grandfather was saying the same thing in the 60s. This country which was built on the premise that all men (and women) should live free and be able to pursue their happiness. Whatever that might be. Freak dancing as it's called. It's THEIR choice. Not ours... Just as dancing the twist was OUR choice and not our parents. Until till a little later when the grown ups were into it too.
I have to see this rap crap just about every night on the Tonight show. Just last Thursday they had a group on that had some "professional dancers" doin' the new freak dance. I flashed back to when Elvis first appeared on Big ED's Toast of the Town. They wouldn't- shoot him in a wide shot while he was doin' that hip swivel thing he use to do. OH MY GOSH! ! ! The Bible belt when up in arms over this boy's actions, how dare he do that in front of the impressionable children.
OR we can turn back the hands of time and set it back to the 1600's and cower at the harden rules that the task master that govern the lands tell us what to do and when to do it. AND GOD forbid... if you didn't show up to church on Sunday. They came to your door and dragged you out to the stalks in town square. Then you were flogged and left there for three or four days with only bread and water.
As much as I too dislike the music and the trends that the teens are going these days. I can only look back to when the shoe was on my parents feet. Turn the TV off. Go back to reading books. Sometimes things all work out with time. And sometimes they don't. We're not in control any more. The youth IS.
later
Robert V
9:35 PM
First, educators have traditionally been the last people to learn anything. Anyone remember the stupid hair and dress codes that are now unconstitutional and that no school district with half a brain would ever try to enforce anymore? They still don't get it: If you try to ban something, you only make kids want it more, Einsteins!
Second, one thing has remained constant in the annals of pop culture: Things get stale and they change. Surf music and disco turned out to be fads, not trends. While hip hop is a legitimate trend, younger siblings and offspring of afficianados of hip hop will probably be into something else. In my own youthful times, Elvis belonged to an older generation of teens. Me and my peers were very much into the Beatles and the British Invasion. Elvis was theirs. The Beatles were ours. By the early 70s, it was all passe.
I imagine in it's own way, this will happen with hip hop. Already, "Classic Rap", or "Old School Rap" as they like to call it, is turning up as a latter-day radio format. The same will eventually happen with hip hop. It will be deemed "Our Parents' Music", and a newer generation will want no part of it. The more things change, the more they stay the same.
Just last week, I heard someone refer to The Dead Kennedys as "Parents Music." It's happening in Punk, Alternative, and Modern rock.
As a human being gets older, they're not supposed to "get" the younger generation. It's a natural process, and that'll never change.
As long as they're not hurting themselves of anybody else, I say let them have their fun. You're only young once. That hasn't changed, either.
10:58 PM
Already some well thought out stuff here from Gary, Robert V and Dave Gaytan. And we have just begun.
Keep those cards and letter (comments) coming. I guess the one thing the 60s taught us was how to be broad minded.
Too broad minded?
From the swaying hips of Elvis, to the twisting hips of Chubby, to the touching of selected lower body parts, to the ... as Gary might say, "Next?"
Good question. What IS next?
Lloyd T
3:24 PM
OH YES what could possible be NEXT!?!? I've got to pass along what I saw at EGG & THINGS a breakfast restaurant in Simi Valley, Ca.
Sunday morning, my wife and I and, her mother and my wife's son were having breakfast. In walked two young ladies, about 16 to 20 years old, one was wearing a green terry cloth bathrobe and flanel PJ's, with Mukluks boots. The other girl / lady was wearing a silky looking bathrobe with a very long T shirt and boxer shorts with the same boots. Most of the restaurant looked at them, then turned away and giggled. Including my group. As we walked out I stopped to ask briefly .... "Does this fashion statement have a name?" They looked at me as if to say.... "Go away you old perv." I just smiled at them and said "CUTE!" Then walked away. They were not amused.
I can't remember anyone EVER walkin' into a restaurant dressed like that. Must of been casual Sunday, and I didn't get the memo that this was acceptable dress for out in public. So there's nothing that's impossible for today's generation to do or wear. GOD love them all.
Later,
Robert V
11:31 AM
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