Harlem Shake

Harlem Shake
Name	Harlem Shake
Origin	Harlem, Manhattan, New York City
Years active	1980s–present
Genre	Dance
Creators	Al B., Harlem community

Harlem Shake is a dance that originated in the Harlem neighborhood of Manhattan, New York City, in the early 1980s. It developed within scenes connected to Harlem nightlife, Uptown Manhattan block parties, and community centers frequented by youth from nearby neighborhoods such as Washington Heights, Inwood, and The Bronx. The dance became associated with a distinctive local subculture that intersected with artists, musicians, and institutions linked to New York City hip hop and rhythm traditions.

Origins and early history

The dance emerged during a period of intense cultural production in New York City, alongside movements centered in Brooklyn and Queens. Early practitioners were active in venues like neighborhood social clubs, storefront churches, and dance contests organized by community organizations and youth programs hosted by institutions such as Harlem YMCA. Influences included vernacular African diasporic movement traditions circulating through performers connected to Apollo Theater events, street parades near 125th Street (Manhattan), and radio personalities on stations like WBLS and WLIB. Notable local figures and community organizers involved in promoting dances in Harlem during the 1980s included event promoters, DJs, and local television personalities who showcased emerging street styles at block parties and talent nights.

Musical composition and notable recordings

Musically, the Harlem Shake has been performed to various forms of rhythm and percussion typical of New York City club and street music. Early musical backdrops came from producers and labels rooted in the same urban milieu as DJs operating at venues connected to Def Jam Recordings-era sounds and independent producers working in Manhattan studios. Notable recordings that have been associated with or referenced in performances include tracks produced by figures linked to Disco-influenced club culture and later hip hop and electronic artists who sampled or echoed uptown rhythmic patterns. Performers and producers tied to the broader New York scene—some affiliated with labels and venues in Manhattan and Brooklyn—helped disseminate musical versions used for the dance in local mixtapes, radio mixes, and club sets.

Dance styles and cultural context

The movement vocabulary of the Harlem Shake features coordinated upper-body isolations, shoulder rolls, arm flinging, and rhythmic stepping that can be traced to a blend of African diasporic gestural practices and urban improvisational vocabularies cultivated in Harlem social spaces. Dancers have transmitted variations through community institutions such as dance studios, after-school programs, and performance spaces including Harlem Stage and theatrical showcases at venues near 125th Street (Manhattan). The dance intersected with other street styles emerging from New York City boroughs—some practitioners cross-trained in forms popularized by crews that performed in subway stations, college campuses such as Columbia University, and cultural festivals like events at Marcus Garvey Park and neighborhood fairs. Choreographers and cultural workers connected to arts organizations and local radio programs played roles in documenting and teaching the moves beyond Harlem.

2013 viral internet phenomenon

In early 2013 an unrelated online meme appropriated the name of the dance to label short videos featuring abrupt transitions and electronic music samples, creating a viral phenomenon on platforms hosted by companies such as YouTube, Twitter, and Facebook. These videos typically began with a single person dancing amid ordinary surroundings and then cut to a chaotic group performance, often set to a track from an electronic music producer associated with the Atribecalleds-style of internet remix culture. The meme generated content from creators tied to universities, corporations, and media organizations including student groups at institutions like University of California, Berkeley and companies with social media divisions, who replicated the format. The viral spread prompted commentary from newspapers such as The New York Times and magazines including Rolling Stone and led to televised segments on networks like CNN.

Legal and copyright issues

The 2013 meme raised legal and copyright questions when producers and rightsholders of the audio track used in viral videos asserted claims concerning sampling and licensing. Rights discussions involved record labels, independent producers, and media companies known for music supervision and licensing in digital media industries. Institutions such as performing rights organizations and entertainment law firms were referenced in coverage addressing clearances, royalties, and takedown notices issued on platforms operated by technology companies. The conflation of the original Harlem community dance with the internet meme also provoked debates involving cultural appropriation, attribution, and intellectual property frameworks overseen by bodies such as copyright offices and music industry trade groups.

Reception and legacy

Reception of the Harlem Shake has been multifaceted: within Harlem and neighboring communities the dance remains a locally significant vernacular practice taught in neighborhood programs and referenced in cultural festivals and performances at venues like Apollo Theater and community centers. Academics and journalists at institutions such as Columbia University and media outlets have examined the dance within studies of urban culture, folklore, and digital media. The 2013 appropriation catalyzed wider public recognition—sparking debates in cultural institutions, museums, and arts organizations about authorship, provenance, and the ethics of viral dissemination. Contemporary dance practitioners, choreographers, and cultural historians continue to document and teach the dance through workshops, social media channels, and performances associated with arts organizations operating in New York City and beyond.

Category:Harlem Category:Dance forms