Lunar New Year gets funky—watch this amazing Asian dance group boogie to James Brown

They got soul power!
This year, Lunar New Year got funky.
If you were on social media Feb 1, you might have (very likely) seen posts commemorating the first day of the Chinese New Year, though it’s also celebrated in other Asian cultures.
Being the year of the Tiger, which symbolizes courage, bravery, boldness—all those awesome tiger-y things—we were pleasantly infiltrated with tiger memes and videos, including this adorable cutie:
Which I suppose is more of a dragon, but still.
However, since both Lunar New Year and the first day of Black History Month fell on the same day this year (not always the case), one dance group decided to do something extra festive. And it’s not hard to see why it’s become a viral sensation.The TikTok video, now with nearly 4 million views, has a simple, yet effective caption: “we’re feeling good and ready to have a funky time.”
@danceon We’re feeling good and ready to have a funky time 🎶💃🕺 #Moga_almeri ♬ Doing It To Death - Pts. 1 & 2 - The J.B.'s
Everything about this performance is a delight: the fun flowy outfits, the undeniable amount of joy being had, the fabulous thwack-inspired choreography that elicits an insatiable urge to get up and shake it … it’s just glorious. And the fact that it’s set to iconic music of James Brown is what brings it all together.
MOGA Almeri being hella fly.
A fan favorite is the front lead dancer lovingly nicknamed “Yellowpants.” Clearly, Yellowpants has fully embraced her inner tigress.
One person wrote, “The Black Delegation would like to welcome Yellowpants as an honorary Soul Sista.” I think we can all agree to that.
And just who is that groovy gold-clad dancer with the killer moves? The choreographer, MOGA Almeri.
Yellowpants wasn’t the only one getting internet love. “Brown checkered set was a whole vibe,” commented one TikTok user.
And hey, if you can’t pick a favorite, you’re not alone. One person asked “who is replaying the video focusing on a different dancer each time?”
This video is certainly taking social media by storm. It even received a retweet from Wanda Sykes.
When Lunar New Year and the first day of Black History Month fall on the same day pic.twitter.com/hFz8KkS3zN
— Wanda Sykes (@iamwandasykes) February 1, 2022
But what’s truly remarkable isn’t its virality. The feelings of communion it has inspired is the real magic here. Just take a look at some of these comments:
“I’m loving this sooooo much. We need more of this unity and crossover appreciation.”
“I’m not a ‘retweeter’ generally…however, it was SPECIFICALLY because of the fusion of culture and the associated reference of blending Lunar NY with Black History Month which triggered HOPE inside my soul!”
Sometimes cultures blend in a way that is so fascinating and fresh and unique that it gives a whole new level of appreciation. This is one of those times.
If you’re already jonesing for more amazing routines, you can follow MOGA on Instagram. Here’s to a Happy Lunar New Year and a powerful Black History Month.
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There's a reason why some people can perfectly copy accents, and others can't
Turns out, there's a neurodivergent link.
A woman in black long sleeve shirt stands in front of mirror.
Have you ever had that friend who goes on vacation for four days to London and comes back with a full-on Queen's English posh accent? "Oooh I left my brolly in the loo," they say, and you respond, "But you're from Colorado!" Well, there are reasons they (and many of us) do that, and usually it's on a pretty subconscious level.
It's called "accent mirroring," and it's actually quite common with people who are neurodivergent, particularly those with ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder). According Neurolaunch, the self-described "Free Mental Health Library," "Accent mirroring, also known as accent adaptation or phonetic convergence, is the tendency to unconsciously adopt the accent or speech patterns of those around us. This linguistic chameleon effect is not unique to individuals with ADHD, but it appears to be more pronounced and frequent in this population."
Essentially, when people have conversations, we're constantly "scanning" for information—not just the words we're absorbing, but the inflection and tone. "When we hear an accent, our brains automatically analyze and categorize the phonetic features, prosody, and intonation patterns," writes Neurolaunch. For most, this does result in copying the accent of the person with whom we're speaking. But those with ADHD might be more sensitive to auditory cues. This, "coupled with a reduced ability to filter out or inhibit the impulse to mimic…could potentially explain the increased tendency for accent mirroring."
While the article explains further research is needed, they distinctly state that, "Accent mirroring in individuals with ADHD often manifests as an unconscious mimicry of accents in social situations. This can range from subtle shifts in pronunciation to more noticeable changes in intonation and speech rhythm. For example, a person with ADHD might find themselves unconsciously adopting a Southern drawl when conversing with someone from Texas, even if they’ve never lived in the South themselves."
People are having their say online. On the subreddit r/ADHDWomen, a thread began: "Taking on accents is an ADHD thing?" The OP shares, "My whole life, I've picked up accents. I, myself, never noticed, but everyone around me would be like, 'Why are you talking like that??' It could be after I watched a show or movie with an accent or after I've traveled somewhere with a different accent than my 'normal.'
They continue, "Apparently, I pick it up fast, but it fades out slowly. Today... I'm scrolling Instagram, I watch a reel from a comedian couple (Darcy and Jeremy. IYKYK) about how Darcy (ADHD) picks up accents everywhere they go. It's called ADHD Mirroring??? And it's another way of masking."
(The OP is referring to Darcy Michaels and his husband Jeremy Baer, who are both touring comedians based in Canada.)
Hundreds of people on the Reddit thread alone seem to relate. One comments, "Omfg I've done this my whole life; I'll even pick up on the pauses/spaces when I'm talking to someone who is ESL—but English is my first language lol."
Sometimes, it can be a real issue for those around the chameleon. "I accidentally mimicked a waitress's weird laugh one time. As soon as she was out of earshot, my family started to reprimand me, but I was already like 'oh my god I don’t know why I did that, I feel so bad.'"
Many commenters on TikTok were shocked to find out this can be a sign of ADHD. One jokes, "Omg, yes, at a store the cashier was talking to me and she was French. She's like 'Oh are you French too? No, I'm not lol. I'm very east coast Canada."
And some people just embrace it and make it work for them. "I mirror their words or phrase! I’m 30. I realized I start calling everyone sweetie cause my manager does & I work at coffee shop."
This article originally appeared in May.