Sometimes media moments pass me by. I hear that Matt Harding, known by most as “Dancing Matt,” became a viral sensation around 2006 when his first dancing video circulated the world via e-mail. Subsequent videos are now YouTube darlings. My first introduction to Matt was last week when the video “Where the Hell is Matt?”was used as a means to “check-in” and start a meeting.
Being a lover of all things dance, I perked up in my seat to watch him breaking into the same awkward dance frame after frame. After getting past his leaping gate moves, the sense of community and the acceptance of Matt – albeit briefly – into the community as they joined him in dance also rings strong. It reminded me of all the giving writers and bloggers I’ve met virtually over the past year. Can you imagine us all dancing together?
What also struck me was the joy on his face paired with the captions of the locals whizzing by. Nepal, Mumbai, Zanzibar, Australia and Spain to name a few. My faves were him jamming alone in the Demilitarized Zone in Korea with a guard standing point, with the children of Timbuktu and then the rowdy college kids in Austin, Texas. From doing some Google reading on Matt’s background, I read he’s noted in past interviews that Americans need to see more of the world. As I continued to watch the city and country names go by, I sat with both an awe and touch of shame for all I have yet to see.
How about you? What world destinations have you been able to travel to? Which ones are on tap for the future? And would you dance with Matt if given the chance? 🙂
To find out more, you can check out Matt’s website, which tells you where he is now, upcoming dance dates, etc.
Barbara McDowell 