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Photo by kelsey_lovefusionphoto
DANCING MATT IS AS MUCH OF A MEME as it’s possible for a travel video to get. There was the video, the gum-company sponsored video, the South African Soccer World Cup video, and even the parody video.
It should surprise nobody then, that the man intends to dance once more in a bunch of as-yet-undisclosed places around the world. What is interesting, is that he intends to learn to actually dance properly – or something approximating it – this time.
The original dancing videos, and the many other timelapse travel videos that broadly fill the genre (like Cristoph Rehage’s unbelievable walk across China) made me wish I had thought to bring a video camera and an original idea on my travels.
As I traveled more, I eventually got the video camera, but original ideas have always seemed a devil to come by. As fantastically produced as they are, recent video hits like EAT, LEARN, MOVE are essentially just a reformulation of the same basic structure. Traveler does something in front of camera in roughly the same position while awesome scenery flies by.
Lindsay Clark has reflected before on the question of why it is that time-lapse videos continue to hold such appeal. And while well-executed examples are going to be gorgeous to watch for years to come, it’s hard not to wonder whether the me-in-lots-of-different-places pony might be in need of some new tricks.
Or whether I’ll just keep watching Matt dance until his legs wear out. 
Richard Stupart
Richard lives and works in South Africa, exploring as often as possible the strange and unknown places that his continent is so rich in. What stories of far flung places and mischief he is able to trap and bring home are mounted on his blog. Where the Road Goes.
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