Dance Anywhere Countdown: Wherever You Are, Whatever You’re Doing, Stop and Dance

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3iJPTudX9Qw&list=UUlwZsgzq-Ol66LqdAOurcPA&index=1&feature=plcp

In two days, if you don’t know what’s coming, you might find yourself in a puzzling situation — here in San Francisco or pretty much anywhere in the world. Let’s say you’re taking your lunch break on Friday. You’re in line at an ATM when you notice someone dancing nearby. She’s really into it. She has no intention of stopping. “Oddball,” you think. Then someone cranks up a car stereo and joins her. Across the street in a courtyard is a group of people doing synchronized steps. Then you spot three more on a corner. Is there something going on you don’t know about? You bet. It’s Dance Anywhere, a coordinated effort to get people around the world to dance at the same time, wherever they are.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QKfKrrBA1_w&list=UUlwZsgzq-Ol66LqdAOurcPA&index=33&feature=plcp

Dance Anywhere was created in 2005 by Bay Area resident Beth Fein, who says it has gained thousands of participants on makeshift stages such as train stations, museums, parks, and bridges. Organizers say people in 27 countries have joined the effort, and they have photos on a website to back that up. Fein is among dancers who believe the art form has become too separated from our daily lives, and this is a way to break down that barrier while also stretching the definition of what performance art is, and also to make a regular day seem really not so regular. Anyone, anywhere can dance at the appointed time, but the website lets Two-Steppers, Breakers, and Hustlers tell others where they’ll be and what they’ll do, so the whole thing can seem more puzzling and outrageous to those who don’t know about it.

Dance Anywhere starts Friday at noon. Check out its website to learn more.