Min 0:00 Just a shirtless dancing guy

In 2009, on Memorial Day Weekend, there was a music festival in the town of George in the state of Washington. And at this “Sasquatch Festival” a shirtless man started dancing. But his dance solo became an irresistible dance party in a matter of minutes and some blessed person captured it on video for the rest of the world’s much needed inspiration.

I can’t stop watching it because as a Jesus follower I feel a lot like a ridiculous shirtless dancing man when I am doing half of the things I do.  Sometimes that feels good — “Yeah! Take a look at my freak flag flyin’!” Sometimes that feels terrible — “This is ridiculous! What am I doing with my hands? Where is my shirt?”

But I think that the almost 22 million people who have watched this YouTube video are attracted to this dancer because they long for that kind of  transformational moment to happen to them. The courage, faith, hope, influence, passion, fun and togetherness we witness when we watch him being himself becoming a raucous throng brings me joy every time I watch it (and I have watched it at least a dozen times.)

The first time I watched it I actually cried. Maybe it was the longing to be together like that. The contrast between then and our Covid-19-isolated-now is almost too much to bear. Maybe it was just the longing for a post-Covid-19 future, but I think it was more. I long for this kind of joy to spread in the world. I long for this kind of success, honestly. As I persist in my faithfulness to Jesus, I want the fruit of an uncontrollable party.  Let this video be a parable that inspires us to not give up. Also, let it be to me (and maybe you, too) a reminder not try so dang hard. Please watch the video, I loved it so much, I thought it needed a play by play on my blog.

Min 0:20 Green shirt guy joins in.

Maybe the videographer started a little bit in ridicule? — “Hee, hee, look at this crazy guy!” But the power of the moment quickly transcended any shred of potential ridicule. Because this shirtless dancing guy’s energy spreads.

The first disciple shows up at min 0:20 of the video. Green shirt guy runs the risk of stealing shirtless dancing guy’s spotlight. Is green shirt guy ridiculing him too? No, he can’t be, because shirtless dancing guy welcomes him to the party of one. They clasp hands for a moment. Shirtless dancing guy loves having a partner. We don’t know if his intention was to start something, but he does. I tend to think he was just being himself and then something beautiful happened.

Praise God for green shirt guy and for everyone like him. The ones who will join in on the crazy, the early adopters, the ones who were looking for a party. Bless them. Shirtless dancing guy is not an incredible dancer. He doesn’t care. Green shirt guy is even worse, but that does not matter. he somersaults and cartwheels poorly. He shakes his booty and starts making a movement where a movement may have never happened.

I can think of a couple people in my life who gave me the courage to keep dancing. The little ember of my energy needed someone else to burn. There have been moments when I thought I might just burn out. I needed a green shirt guy and I am forever grateful for all the one’s who have joined me.

Min 0:54 Black shirt guy shows up.

The second disciple arrives. At min 0:54 black shirt guy gets in on the action and now it’s really getting fun.  They dance and fall down together. Praise God for all the black shirt guys of the world. The ones who see what is happening and get happening with it. Now it is apparent that there is a welcome in this group. Black shirt guy thinks, “Green shirt guy was welcome so why shouldn’t I be welcome?” That’s all they needed. Green shirt guy opened the door and black shirt guy walks right through it without hesitation.

It reminds me of the first disciples of Jesus in John 1. The first thing Andrew did after joining Jesus in his dance party was to find and include Simon (later named Peter by Jesus). The first thing Philip did after joining the dance troupe was to find Nathanael.  Andrew and Philip are green shirt guys. Simon and Natanael are black shirt guys. I’m so glad they joined the Jesus dance party because it eventually spread to me and now I get to dance too.

Min 1:15 The tipping point.

The avalanche begins at min 1:15. A whole group of people hop into the dancing and then the rest of the video is just a growing joy. What started as just a shirtless guy letting his freak flag fly became something so much more than I imagine he had ever imagined.

I am encouraged by this because as much as I want to make an avalanche of love like this happen among the people around me, I have no idea what little pebble will start the big rocks to rolling. This is much bigger then shirtless dancing guy and the things I do are so much bigger than me. If I controlled the world, my avalanches would regularly be the disasters to which this metaphor owes its origin. Why would I want to burry people in the rubble of what I alone think is best?

And yet that is what I want. I really, really want my proverbial dancing to spread. But I must learn to give my gifts in the humility of shirtless dancing guy. I do not know what is best. And if you have ever been to a music festival you know this: there is always a shirtless dancing guy. Not every freak-flag-flying fest results in an avalanche of joy. “Is that okay?” I ask myself. If I’m honest, my answer is “No,” and I think that “no” is a cap on the outlet of my purest and best energy. Striving for more than enjoying the music of life with God, I know this in my spirit, tamps down my creativity and all that might be  planted in me that is as irresistible as shirtless dancing guy’s power.  Sometimes there is an avalanche. Sometimes there’s just a shirtless guy dancing. Keep dancing.

Min 2:30 Out of control dance party

By min 2:30 people are running across the lawn to get to the dance party. It is out of control. The spark lit by one shirtless dancing guy’s passion has grown into a wildfire from which I hope you can feel at least some of the heat, across the decade since this was filmed and among the millions who have basked in its warmth across the YouTube screen.

At min 2:52 a person behind the camera says in amazement,  “How did he do that? How did he do that?” Perhaps she was the one who began her video with maybe a little bit of ridicule. Whether the video ended like it did or not, she would have been filming greatness, but she didn’t understand it when she hit record. I haven’t brought any more understanding to it with my play by play. My sole aim is appreciation and inspiration. This is not a “how to spark a revolution or a revival” post. I join her in her amazement — “How did he do that? How did he do that?”

And though I don’t know all the answers (I might not know even one), I am filled up to overflowing by this video so much that I had to share it with you. May it be a blessing for your hope. May it be a spark of joy that gets you through today, through the hesitation that keeps you from your own best kind of dancing, through the darkness of terrors in this benighted world, and through to a glimpse of Jesus dancing, as I am sure he does often.

Watch it again! https://youtu.be/GA8z7f7a2Pk