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Joy

Adorable 'Haka baby' dance offers a sweet window into Maori culture

Stop what you're doing and let this awesomeness wash over you.

@focuswithdan/TikTok

If you've never seen a Maori haka performed, you're missing out.

The Maori are the indigenous peoples of New Zealand, and their language and customs are an integral part of the island nation. One of the most recognizable Maori traditions outside of New Zealand is the haka, a ceremonial dance or challenge usually performed in a group. The haka represents the pride, strength, and unity of a tribe and is characterized by foot-stamping, body slapping, tongue protrusions, and rhythmic chanting.

Haka is performed at weddings as a sign of reverence and respect for the bride and groom and are also frequently seen before sports competitions, such as rugby matches.


The intensity of the haka is the point. It is meant to be a show of strength and elicit a strong response—which makes seeing a tiny toddler learning to do it all the more adorable.

Here's an example of a rugby haka:

Danny Heke, who goes by @focuswithdan on TikTok, shared a video of a baby learning haka and omigosh it is seriously the most adorable thing. When you see most haka, the dancers aren't smiling—their faces are fierce—so this wee one starting off with an infectious grin is just too much. You can see that he's already getting the moves down, facial expressions and all, though.

@focuswithdan When you grow up learning haka! #haka #teachthemyoung #maori #māori #focuswithdan #fyp #foryou #kapahaka ♬ original sound - 𝕱𝖔𝖈𝖚𝖘𝖂𝖎𝖙𝖍𝕯𝖆𝖓

As cute as this video is, it's part of a larger effort by Heke to use his TikTok channel to share and promote Maori culture. His videos cover everything from the Te Reo Maori language to traditional practices to issues of prejudice Maori people face.

Here he briefly goes over the different body parts that make up haka:

@focuswithdan

♬ Ngati - Just2maori

This video explains the purerehua, or bullroarer, which is a Maori instrument that is sometimes used to call rains during a drought.

@focuswithdan Reply to @illumi.is.naughty Some tribes used this to call the rains during drought 🌧 ⛈ #maori #māori #focuswithdan #fyp ♬ Pūrerehua - 𝕱𝖔𝖈𝖚𝖘𝖂𝖎𝖙𝖍𝕯𝖆𝖓

This one shares a demonstration and explanation of the taiaha, a traditional Maori weapon.

@focuswithdan Reply to @shauncalvert Taiaha, one of the most formidable of the Māori Weaponry #taiaha #maori #māori #focuswithdan #fyp #foryou ♬ original sound - 𝕱𝖔𝖈𝖚𝖘𝖂𝖎𝖙𝖍𝕯𝖆𝖓

For another taste of haka, check out this video from a school graduation:

@focuswithdan When your little cuzzy graduates and her school honours her with a haka #maori #māori #haka #focuswithdan #fyp #graduation @its_keshamarley ♬ Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Ngāti Ruanui - 𝕱𝖔𝖈𝖚𝖘𝖂𝖎𝖙𝖍𝕯𝖆𝖓

Heke even has some fun with the trolls and racists in the comments who try to tell him his culture is dead (what?).

@focuswithdan Credit to you all my AMAZING FOLLOWERS! #focuswithdan #maori #māori #followers #fyp #trolls ♬ original sound - sounds for slomo_bro!

Unfortunately, it's not just ignorant commenters who spew racist bile. A radio interview clip that aired recently called Maori people "genetically predisposed to crime, alcohol, and underperformance," among other terrible things. (The host, a former mayor of Auckland, has been let go for going along with and contributing to the caller's racist narrative.)

@focuswithdan #newzealand radio in 2021 delivering racist commentaries 🤦🏽‍♂️ #māori #maori #focuswithdan #racism DC: @call.me.lettie2.0 ♬ original sound - luna the unicow

That clip highlights why what Heke is sharing is so important. The whole world is enriched when Indigenous people like the Maori have their voices heard and their culture celebrated. The more we learn from each other and our diverse ways of life, the more enjoyable life on Earth will be and the better we'll get at collaborating to confront the challenges we all share.


This article originally appeared on 01.28.21

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Internet

Man's dance moves are so incredibly fluid that people don't think he's a real person

Some people are speculating he's somehow computer generated. He's real.

Maikon Alves|Instagram

Man's dance moves are so smooth people don't think he's real

The human body is amazing. People that have figured out a way to command their body to do reality defying acts are just as fascinating. There's nothing quite like watching someone feel them music, moving so smoothly from one movement to the next while they dance.

Dancing can be a beautiful expression of art and creativity, connecting people through music and movement without even speaking the same language. One dancer from Brazil is turning heads on social media with moves so fluid and robotic that people are questioning if he's human. Maikon Alves uploaded a video recently of him dancing to "Boom Boom Pow" by the Black Eyed Peas.

To say his dance moves are impressive would be an understatement. Alves pops his chest to the beat while slowly stepping in place making it look like he's gliding from move to move. Some movements are crisp and sharp like a robot while others are so fluid it's nearly unbelievable that it could be coming from a human.

While the man's moves do look slightly out of this world, he is indeed a real person, or at least he appears to be in other videos on his page. Commenters ranged between being in awe of his abilities and questioning if he was human.

"Loved. I like how everything is in sync - from the music to the moves to face expressions. 👏👏👏 and your cool personal style," one person writes.

"Doesn’t even look real it’s that good..!! Love this," someone says.

"You will be the dance instructor for the children of our AI overlords someday," a commenter thinks.

"Nah, this is God-level pop-locking," someone compliments.

Even Nicole Scherzinger, actress, singer and former member of the pop group and dance ensemble, Pussycat Dolls gave Alves praise saying, "you are a legend!" Watch his reality defying moves for yourself.

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Joy

An 8th grader challenged a teacher to a dance-off between exams and she delivered

All the right moves.

@McClainEducates/Twitter

Florida teacher Yolanda Turner engaged 8th grade students in a dance-off.

We've said it before and we'll say it again: Teachers deserve all the kudos, high fives, raises, accolades, prizes and thanks for everything they do. Even if they just stuck to academics alone, they'd be worth far more than they get, but so many teachers go above and beyond to teach the whole child, from balancing equations to building character qualities.

One way dedicated educators do that is by developing relationships and building rapport with their students. And one surefire way to build rapport is to dance with them.

A viral video shared by an assistant principal at Sumner High School & Academy in Riverview, Florida shows a group of students gathered around one student as he challenges a teacher to a dance-off.

"Our 8th grade Stingrays having a well deserved exam dance break," wrote assistant principal Natalie McClain. "Of course our teachers are ending 2022 with a win."

The teacher, Ms. Yolanda Turner, took the challenge—and the students went wild.

Watch:

The student really thought he had her, didn't he? It looked as if his soul left his body when he tapped her shoulders and then realized what he'd done. But to her credit, she took it in stride and took him out with her dance moves.

"The music was on, all the kids were pumped," Turner told Fox 13. "So it was like, let's have a dance challenge. So I'm like, okay, all right, so everybody's having fun. And I said, 'I'm going to tap in. I'm going to tap into the dance.'"

"I really try to emphasize for kids to be their authentic selves and to really never be afraid to express who they are no matter who's watching," she told the outlet.

This dance-off video is a prime example of how schools can be places of joyful connection in addition to academic achievement. Gaining students' respect doesn't require being a stuffy authoritarian hard nose, and students generally respond better to teachers they genuinely care for. Meeting them where they are is one of the best ways to reach kids and creating experiences that include for silliness and fun is one of the best ways to keep them engaged.

Plus, who doesn't need to blow off a little steam in between exams? What a lovely example of striking a balance between academic rigor and modeling healthy stress relief. Well done, Ms. Turner.


This article originally appeared on 12.28,22

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Humor

Club goer's experience has people wondering what Gen Z is doing with their hands while dancing

"You know what's giving away your age? You keep putting your hands up."

Gus Rosas|TikTok

Millennials are debating where Gen Z puts their hands while dancing

Look, going to the club after 30 is not for the meek...or those of us with bad knees from Snoop telling us to drop it like it's hot too many times in the early 2000s.

So walking through the doors to let your hair down after a long week only to be reminded of how old you are can be discouraging. But one Millennial club goer's recent experience has people scratching their heads.

Gus Rosas, a Millennial on the younger side at just 32, told his TikTok followers how he found himself in a strange predicament while at a dance club. He explains that he was dancing with a girl in her early 20s at a club in Los Angeles when the girl kept telling him to put his hands down.

"I was dancing at the club last night with this girl and she was like, 'you know what's giving away your age?' She was like, 'you keep putting your hands up.'"

This revelation has commenters extremely confused. What on Earth is Gen Z doing with their hands while they dance? Are they just doing TikTok dance trends on repeat? If there's no trending dance to the song playing do they do the Snoopy and "Charlie Brown" leg shuffle thing with their arms glued to the sides? We elder Millennials have questions.

"But how will anyone know if I'm a true player if I don't throw my hands in the air," one commenter writes.

"Sir, I cannot shake it like a polaroid picture with my hands glued to my sides," someone says.

"How do you point to the window then to the wall," a person asks.

"Even Miley Cyrus puts her hands up when they're playing her song," another person writes.

@goodforthegooch

#millenialpause #toooldfortheclub

You see where this is going. Millennials have been instructed for decades to put our hands in the air while dancing and now it simply shows we are the old people in the club. But honestly, I'm invested in finding out what a club full of Gen Zers looks like because if it's a "Charlie Brown" dance party, I think we Millennials will continue to heed the instructions in the songs.

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