It’s a hard-knock life
- September 22, 2009
- filed under Awesome Burghers, Downtown happenings
Please, please watch this video of a dancing flash mob made up of Point Park University students. This took place yesterday at the US Steel plaza and was their attempt to greet the G-20 with peace, art, and kickass motherlovin’ DANCING!
The good stuff starts at :45 in, so watch it and then we’re going to talk about it and by that I mean, I’m going to tell you how I feel about it.
I know! SQUEE!
Why squee? SO many reasons, but let me tell you three:
1. Whoever that brave soul is that started the dance all by himself. HUGS!
2. Since Footloose, since Grease, since Grease 2 (I KNOW!), since Scrubs, since Buffy, since Enchanted, since High School Frickin’ Musical, I have always thought why can’t we live in a world where suddenly large crowds of people burst into choreographed song and dance?! How awesome, I have thought, would it be to be walking through Point Park when suddenly, out of nowhere, “It’s a Hard-knock Life” starts blaring and all the people who take their lunch to the Point because they hate their jobs and wish life were different, suddenly burst into a dance that fully utilizes the entire rim of the fountain? And umbrellas. Lots of colorful umbrellas a-twirling and a-tossing.
I am so so so jealous that I wasn’t there when this happened because I would have freaked the hell out at the sheer awesomeness of this.
3. THIS is how you get your message across. You throw a brick through a window in Pittsburgh and I will hate you and everything you stand for and if you so much as ask me for directions to your tent city, I will send you on a path so ridiculous you’ll end up in the scariest parts of the Hill District, or as we call it, Westhampsminstershire, where you’ll beg those very police you hate, to save your miserably misguided life.
However, you sing and dance about it, you bring me joy while telling me what you’re so pissed off about, hell, I’m going to listen to you and then quickly guide you back to your tent city, and maybe even stop on the way to buy you a donut.
Just think, anarchists, instead of pissing this entire city off with your stupid destruction, why not use this rainy downtime to make up a song and dance that speaks to your cause? Call it “Capitalist Pigs” set to the tune of “I Am the Very Model of a Modern Major General” and I, along with 20 world leaders, will pull up a lawn chair and clap like you’re killing pigeons.
I am the very model of a modern major anarchist
I’ve information scary ’bout those nasty pigs capitalist.
I hate the kings of England, and I fought the fights historical
From Pittsburgh here to London too, in order west to east-acle.
I’m totally on to something, and you know it.
DO IT!
All you kids that danced are the next Awesome Burghers and your giant pats on the back are in the mail.
Also, clearly, I need to write a Broadway musical.
- Yinz share, n'at.
Recommend on Facebook- Tweet about it
- Subscribe to the comments on this post
- Tell a friend
bluzdude
September 22, 2009 10:30 am
I love flash mob stunts… that’s my kind of anarchy.
“east-acle”… snort/laff! The things we won’t do to rhyme…
John in the Rocks
September 22, 2009 10:36 am
If you do write a musical, it should definitely be about destroying pigeons. :D
Stacey
September 22, 2009 10:38 am
I’d totally see your musical! That’s how you can raise $ for the Children’s Hospital!
one-eyed dick
September 22, 2009 10:39 am
This is, indeed, a very cool video.
Two things, though:
1) Why is it that the older I get, the younger college kids become?
2) Not one goddam pigeon in the whole park! How did you do that? Is your plan for world pigeon domination working?
Jules
September 22, 2009 10:40 am
Best thing I’ve seen since that video of the mob in the train station that danced to Do Re Me from the Sound of Music. Yay Pittsburgh and Point Park. This just made my day.
TwinMamaTeb
September 22, 2009 10:42 am
just awesome!
Chris
September 22, 2009 10:43 am
I thought it was a terrific stunt and I completely agree with you. Spread the message through song and dance, and I will listen to you. Use violence, protests and destruction and I won’t give you the time of day.
Cassie
September 22, 2009 10:46 am
Amazing!
Carly
September 22, 2009 10:47 am
Turns out there were three groups doing simultaneously in the US Steel Plaza, Oxford Center and PPG Place.
http://www.post-gazette.com/multimedia/?videoid=102325&cmpid=mmpanel1
Novos51
September 22, 2009 10:47 am
Capitalist Pigs hear me roar
I don’t what to buy the junk in your store
You push us down to raise you up
And collect our tears in your cup
Your cup runneth over with our pain
Our only joy is singing in the rain!
Singing in the rain, we are singing in the rain
What a horrible feeling to be disenfrachased again
I would watch a dance to this!
Casey
September 22, 2009 10:51 am
With your little “I am the very model of a modern..” I am instantly reminded of this scene from Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip. So sad it’s gone… such great TV.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e9iTOcEHkoo
“We’ll gladly do the favor of an intellectual reacharound”.
See, you can be nasty and classy at the same time. ;-)
PS: Much love from a former ‘Burgher living in Austin, TX!
Pensgirl
September 22, 2009 10:53 am
If anyone breaks into any songs from Annie, I will shoot them on sight, but all other songs are welcome.
You’re exactly right about the right way and the wrong way to get a message across. These kids did it the right way. And honestly, even if there isn’t a broader message behind a group’s song-and-dance stunts, they put a stamp of fun on people’s humdrum days, and we could all use more of that.
summer78
September 22, 2009 10:54 am
Proud to be Point Park alum!
Capt. Dummy
September 22, 2009 10:54 am
ha! that was pretty cool! great job dancers!!!
lovesthenorthside
September 22, 2009 10:58 am
good use of jazz hands. would it be too much to hope for that this is the kind of pittsburgh the world could see during the g20?
L-A
September 22, 2009 11:06 am
that is a beautiful thing…love love love
rose
September 22, 2009 11:09 am
awesome!!
Three
September 22, 2009 11:13 am
Agree with you whole-heartedly on 99% percent of this entry. The 1% I disagree with is spelling “doughnut” as “donut.” The Dunkin propaganda/agenda has even reached you!
However, great job by the Point Park students, and a great video. Nice to see some people can make a point without hurting anyone or anything.
pghgeorge
September 22, 2009 11:24 am
I just showed your post to all my students here at PTI in Oakdale.
I tweeted it and plastered it all over Facebook.
Fantastic!!!
Dave
September 22, 2009 11:40 am
I’m so happy I go to Point Park…. Yet so sad that I knew nothing of this, otherwise I woulda totally been in on it!!!
By the way…. your version of the Modern Major General made me very happy inside : )
Mary Lu
September 22, 2009 11:44 am
Incredible! This made my day, thanks so much for posting :)
Bram R
September 22, 2009 11:52 am
Okay Ginny, I really must protest — when I saw this last night I also thought it was neat, and it made me happy, but I don’t see how this can honestly be compared to the protests. Can anyone tell me what their “point” was that everyone is congratulating them for getting across? Other than the fact that Point Park University is here too, and excels with the dancing?
I went to about three protest events yesterday, they all consisted of small groups of people sitting in a circle talking, or people manning tables with literature on them and talking, one panel discussion — all very dense stuff. But no violence, no property damage, not even any chanting or sign-waving, and everybody seemed freshly showered. I didn’t hear “down with capitalism” once. I do think the protesters’ unpleasantness and radicalism is getting hugely exaggerated.
But I guess my point here is I’m uncomfortable with the idea that political protesters should be compared to dancers whose only mission is to make people feel good. I would imagine a few of them might argue that it’s our consumer culture that has conditioned us to tune out and resent anybody who has a challenging, complex message and who’s not shaking their booties for our enjoyment.
G-Man
September 22, 2009 11:57 am
When I read your list of movies and TV shows with big “spontaneoous” dance numbers, I noticed you left out this year’s joyful film “(500) Days of Summer.” If you haven’t seen it yet, you really need to seek it out. There’s a very “Enchanted”-like dance scene to the tune of Hall & Oates “You Make My Dreams Come True.”
facie
September 22, 2009 11:58 am
I am all for breaking into song and dance. I wish more people would do it. When I worked in the dishroom at a dining hall at Penn State back in the early 90s, I would often break into song and get others to go along. I miss those days.
While at my last job, I sang a few times in the middle of the day. People there were not nearly as receptive. I guess that is what happens when you become a grownup (and when your voice is not kick-ass).
Virginia
September 22, 2009 12:00 pm
Bram, please go back and read the post again to see if I directed one word of it to “protesters” or if it was all directed to “anarchists” hell-bent on destruction. Go ahead. I’ll be here when you get back.
mark
September 22, 2009 12:02 pm
Bram R, you must of not noticed their Peace shirts. It was just their why of saying “HEY PROTESTORS DON’T F UP OUR CITY!”
Jeepin
September 22, 2009 12:16 pm
hmmm…didnt they try this in Cop Rock a long time ago?
BIGGEORGE
September 22, 2009 12:30 pm
As it has been said before so well…
“But when you talk about destruction
Don’t you know that you can count me out ”
—-the beatles
These videos are something I shared with friends all over the world this morning.
BIGGEORGE
gunnlino
September 22, 2009 12:52 pm
BRAM; The more elderly you become the more of the ultimate curmudgeon you become.
Don’t you ever, ever have anything pleasant to say about anything?
What happened, did someone take your GI Joe toy when you were a child?
Ant_041
September 22, 2009 12:54 pm
Who the hell are these People (I don’t mind the dancing) does any of those people work??
Bram R
September 22, 2009 1:11 pm
Ginny – I guess when you said you’d guide them back to their “Tent Cities”, I assumed you were talking about Code Pink and Bail Out the People ie the regular nice protesters, the ones actually hosting the Tent Cities. A misunderstanding. Besides which, I’m pretty sure I don’t believe in anarchists anymore.
All – It didn’t appear, but at the end of that rant I wrong without the spaces in the middle. I was hoping that would kind of take the bitchy edge off.
Gunnlino – I said I enjoyed it, right? That it made me happy? I just don’t think it’s fair to counterpoint a shroomy dance against people with something a little more complex and yes, inherently depressing to communicate. Apparently however that’s not what our blogger intended, but I don’t mind having pointed it out in case anyone else misunderstood.
Bram R
September 22, 2009 1:14 pm
Gah! This is impossible! “It didn’t appear, but at the end of that rant I wrote:
HTML humor.
(You’re all plotting against me…)
Bram R
September 22, 2009 1:15 pm
GAH! That didn’t work either! Forget it….
BagitTagit
September 22, 2009 1:16 pm
America??? Neil Diamond???
Hello???
“Ah! Leah!” – Donny Iris
Missed Opportunities…
Sooska
September 22, 2009 1:20 pm
@Ant- read the freakin’ post- Point Park STUDENTS… HELLO!?
@Bram- read the freakin’ post -or do your own news research. They were dancing for “global peace and unity,” as well as a peaceful G-20 summit. See the online PG for more info. I am not going to link it for you.
There are many legitimate causes and advocates of them who protest; don’t lump them all together with the anarchists.
Kathy
September 22, 2009 1:52 pm
Bram: That’s because all the “protesters” were out gathering poop. Yesterday, the police found bags of horse poop under almost every orange traffic cone….Today, on my way to work at the US Steel Building, a man was stopped with not one, but TWO giant black trash bags filled with poop.
Nothing gets your message across more than giant steamin’ bags of poo.
bluzdude
September 22, 2009 2:06 pm
Yes… the Say It With Feces Bouquet!
Jim
September 22, 2009 2:07 pm
Did anyone else notice they formed a peace sign at the end of the dance?
What’s so funny ’bout peace love and understanding?
RavishingRick
September 22, 2009 2:23 pm
Didn’t see you out there shakin your thing
e$
September 22, 2009 2:24 pm
umm… i love a flash mob, any day. any time. my one quibble here is that this particular one was not spontaneous (most aren’t) but this one was well choreographed by PP faculty and FUNDED by Colcom, interesting one of the Foundations/Sites that is trageted for protest the G20 resistance groups… I am not aledging anything here about COLCOM trying to steal the thunder away from other protest groups, or get the mainstream media to focus on non-sensical protests instead of ones that make a real statement, but if i was an anti-corporate, anti-establishment, anti- G20, anti-globalization type of gal (and i am not saying that I am), i would be suspicious of the ‘spontaneous’ flash mob…
e$
September 22, 2009 2:26 pm
oh and just as a side note, anyone that has been “savin’ up” their poop and pee gleefully for the last few weeks in anticipation of the G20 needs to TRULY get a job… or a at least a healthy fantasy football addiction.
Randy
September 22, 2009 3:12 pm
I like this one better, It also happened yesterday: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hxjEG6U3–4
Different Brian
September 22, 2009 3:31 pm
I was walking back to my building and saw a horde of people, many of them in orange shirts with peace signs on front. I wondered what they were just doing… that had that look of, we were just doing something. Shut up, its totally a look.
Anyway now I know what they were doing… and wish I would have been a few minutes quicker.
Carol
September 22, 2009 3:49 pm
Thanks for sharing this! Definitely a better way to get the message across. Another fun mob dance was performed in a train station in Antwerp, Belgium to Julie Andrews “Do-re-mi” It’s cheesy but so much fun to watch, especially if you like the Sound of Music! check it out on you tube. I tried to paste the link but it was too long. Can’t wait to try the restaurant. Best of luck to you and your family.
butcher's dog
September 22, 2009 4:01 pm
One-eyed dick: college kids aren’t getting younger. They stay exactly the same age forever. That only leaves one alternative.
In case anyone didn’t know, Point Park has a kick-ass dance and theatre program. This should make every recruiting video from now on.
Ginny: I’ll buy a ticket to your musical when it stages. Maybe two.
Ang
September 22, 2009 4:12 pm
I couldn’t agree more. I swear, sometimes I feel like I’m the only person in the world that randomly bursts out in song and dance…ok not so much dance, but the song part.
Pingback: Shadyshide hopsital on lockdown | Pittsburgh Metblogs
Norm
September 22, 2009 4:34 pm
That was pretty awesome, too bad the cameraman was wandering around like a drunken sailor.
Matt
September 22, 2009 5:28 pm
Great show.
One eyed dick and butcher’s dog — Believe me, it’s even more embarassing when they stop looking young enough to be your kids, and start looking like your grandkids.
malbrec92
September 22, 2009 5:31 pm
Is that Wilder Valderrama at 1:22?