Q & A with junior Jessica Parce
Teens get all twerked up about latest trends in dancing Q: How do you feel about twerking as a popular dance fad? A: If you’re just goofing around with your friends, it isn’t a major deal, but at a formal school dance, that would not be my thing. At certain times twerking is inappropriate because it’s sexual in ways. Q: What attracts people to this type of dancing? A: It gets people’s attention. It’s funny, but I truly have no idea where it started. Maybe someone started it as a joke just to get laughs out of people, and it started a trend. I truly have no idea where it started. Q: Do you think teenagers post videos of twerking to be accepted or get attention? A: Definitely. I think both because that’s the thing to do. That’s what’s hot right now. People think, “Oh I’m going to get attention. I’m going to post this on Facebook and get a ton of likes or I’m going to post it to Vine or Instagram because I like to twerk and everyone wants to see me twerking.” Q: Since popular dance fads come and go, like for example the Harlem Shake, what do you think will happen with twerking? A: I think that because it’s a fad and it’s stupid and everyone knows it, something new will come up.
Q: Do you think twerking is degrading? A: I think parents and older generations look at teenagers twerking and disapprove, but to us it’s not like we’re taking it seriously. We’re just messing around. Q: What role has modern technology played with promoting dance fads? A: I think modern technology has played a huge role because if we didn’t have Vine, if we didn’t have Instagram, then we wouldn’t be able to see so many videos. How would we know to do these dances or act like this if we didn’t see other people doing it? How would we know to do new things if we didn’t have the Internet to see these videos? We would have no means to see them. Q: Vine and Instagram videos are usually short. Do you think the length of these videos play a role in grasping the attention of viewers? If yes, how? A: I think modern technology has played a huge role because if we didn’t have Vine, if we didn’t have Instagram, then we wouldn’t be able to see so many videos. How would we know to do these dances or act like this if we didn’t see other people doing it? How would we know to do new things if we didn’t have the Internet to see these videos? We would have no means to see them.
To do this, simply start with your back arched so that your butt is sticking out. Next, move your butt forward, trying not to move your back. Once you move a bit, pop it back out.
Controlling your butt is the most important part of twerking and the hardest to describe. By vibrating your thighs, your butt will also shake.
Q: What makes a popular dance fad like twerking spread so rapidly? A: I truly don’t know, but I guess the more people see it on YouTube, and the more funny and ridiculous it is, the more people watch. That’s what it’s going for because while twerking, you’re just shaking your butt the whole time. I guess the bigger the shock factor, the crazier it is. The more people like it, the more people want to do it, and also the funnier it is the more attention it grabs. Q: Many schools have banned twerking. What is your opinon? A: With Dance Team we aren’t allowed to do a lot of things or anything suggestive like twerking. We aren’t allowed to take jackets off because it’s considered taking off clothing. We aren’t allowed to use certain songs and we aren’t allowed to twerk because it gives off a vibe that we are trying to be sexual. Some people think we’re trying to say something that we really aren’t. To other people, people who don’t know dance as well as we do, it looks like we’re doing more things. We’re trying to keep it classy and appropriate, but some people don’t see it as high schoolers see it. Adults might think that it is highly inappropriate and that it needs to stop, but for us it’s just the newest dance thing.
Moving your thighs in different ways also makes your butt move in different ways. Video tutorials can be found on YouTube and other sites.
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