Matt Harding sure gets around.
The 1994 Staples graduate was an early YouTube sensation. His videos — of himself dancing “badly” (his word), from Macchu Picchu to Mongolia, and every place in between — drew hundreds of millions of viewers. He wrote a book. Corporate sponsors threw money at him.
And through it all — from his first impromptu dance (Hanoi, 2003) to today — Matt kept dancing.
Matt Harding in New Guinea, from his 2008 video. (He’s 4th from the left, wearing a dark blue shirt.)
His latest video was released yesterday. It could be his best yet.
In less than 5 minutes, Matt busts out new moves. He waltzes in Vienna; does a tribal dance in South Africa; gets down with firefighters in Texas, and underwater at the Great Barrier Reef.
He does whatever dance they do in North Korea — and what other Westporters (except Alan and Brian Hershey) have ever been there?
And Matt dances everywhere else too, hopscotching from Idaho to Scotland to Rwanda, all to infectious music he helped compose.
Sure, it’s hot and humid here. Yeah, there’s a million things to do before we can relax for the summer. And watch out, someone might give your kid a cupcake when you’re not looking.
But forget all that. Click the link below. Crank up the speakers, and enjoy the video.
It could be the most enjoyable 5 minutes you’ll spend all week.
(Click here to learn more about Matt Harding, and see his other videos, at his actual website.)
Thank you Dan! What a fantastic way to start my morning — any morning! What a wonderful project. I love that Matt is from Westport.
awesome!!! Maybe Matt could work on the peace process in Iraq, Iran, Syria, Afghanistan, N. Korea etc, etc,etc……
Find your passion, do what you love, and make a difference in the world – 2012 Elliott Landon graduation speech
wow-((sniff!!)) and FUN–what a morning treat!!! That’s just a kick! …Just loved it, thanks, Dan!! and Matt : )
**Let’s do a Westport dance–!!**
At Wakeman Town Farm… yes! Let’s Dance with Matt!
‘Love it! Matt’s videos are amongst the best viral videos and this one has taken him to a new level. He CAN dance….yet his devotees will see his signature steps in all his moves.
It looks like Matt has been eating less cupcakes…’wonder if he allows his kid (I assume that was his child in the last scene) to eat them at school birthday celebrations?
Thanks for posting this Dan!
Love this. Best thing on YouTube since Giorgio singing his order at Sonic. Also chronicled on these pages, I seem to remember?
Yep — Giorgio got a shout-out on “06880.” Of course, I rely on my alert readers to send all this good stuff along!
Thanks, Dan. Great way to start the day. Makes one want Matt to go to Congress and get all those fools up and dancing together, maybe that would break the noxious spell of non-cooperation. When you dance and laugh with people you can’t help but realize you are in the same damn tribe and maybe they’d start making it work.
I absolutely loved that! Matt is fantastic and I agree – I think this video was his best yet! Dan, I am going to leave the matter of creating a flash mob in Westport for Matt’s next video in your very capable hands. Just let me know where and when to show up!
My daughter and I are dancing on the Philadelphia Art Museum steps for 1.5 seconds of this iteration of Matt’s videos. Such fun to do and to watch!
I must find you!!! 😉
Oh my God! How did he ever pull that off? A logical endeavor that leaves me speechless! Totally amazing. Thoroughly enjoyable. Thank you for sharing, Dan…absolutley stunning.
where did matt go to college?
Oh, Interesting…to imagine that Westporters would participate in such a joyful activity… Certainly there would be a slew of naysayers to follow it up and criticize instead of dialogue with civility. Curious that Matt doesn’t feature Westport. Interesting that he left. Interesting that he goes to all these wonderful places….except Westport.
From what I can see in the comments, you are the only one posting something negative. Interesting.
WC
I had a wonderful childhood growing up in Westport. I was privileged to attend Greens Farms Academy and Staples High School, where my values were shaped by teachers like Karl Decker, Dave Harrison, and Joe Lieberman; teachers who placed knowledge and integrity before grades.
They taught me critical thinking, how to respect ideas that were foreign to me, interpret experiences that were new to me, and how to communicate those experiences to others.
Growing up in Westport helped prepare me for the world, and that I haven’t been back in a while is simply a matter of circumstance. My parents both moved away, so I haven’t had any reason to return.
If Westport wants me to visit: invite me.
Incidentally, Westport is at the end of the first dancing video I made in 2005.
Just invited you, Matt! Please read your email… and join us at Wakeman Town Farm!
Hello, Matt! You words are very kind. Iam honored to be couched wiht the likes of Dave Harrison and Joe Leiberman! Thank you. I have sent your latest dance video off to selectedd friends and one has already replied that it made her day! For update on me (f you must!), best to check http://www.karldecker.com. Dance on, good freind, and we shall dance with you. Karl
Definitely a laugh/cry amazing way to start the day! Loved it!! How’d he get into North Korea??? Great job, Matt….
What an amazing piece of performance art! How does Matt support this on-going endeavor?
Matt invites joy wherever he goes – I’ve been following his website for a couple years now. You saved the best dance for last in this video – so sweet. Hoping to meet you & dance with you soon, Matt!
If there are, for any reason, haters in the crowd here re: Matt, his project and passion, take the time to read this post by Ethan Zuckerman (director of the MIT Center for Civic Media) which Matt posted on his Twitter feed: One the most incisive and considerate things I’ve ever read about this thing I do. Thank you, Ethan http://t.co/xOPTsqsU
Thanks, Doug! you’ve posted a VERY insightful piece about Matt — it’s a must-read for anyone who read about him on “06880”!
Thanks Dan for introducing me to this…what a great story!
Total joy!!
Thank you Matt for such a joyful video! I actually use it in a grad course I teach. Students always love it! Any chance of coming to Wilmington,DE to include our high school in one of your videos? (I’m a guidance counselor and our high school kids would think it would be amazing!) Thanks!
Mary Ann
Matt clearly treasures his years at Staples and his teachers and it’s nice to have him cite them by name. He also talked about growing up in Westport and his Staples teachers in a 2006 interview with WestportNow — see http://www.westportnow.com/index.php?/v2_5/comments/staples_grads_web_dance_is_world_wide/
absolutely wonderful, and very beautiful, how so many came together dancing in so many places, well done Matt and family
Matt
Lots of great dancing in Ireland too!
have you seen prodijig?
Amazing.
What a hoot Matt! I know a couple of cheerleaders from the class of ’52 that would love to dance with you to feel young again & have the world sing & dance with us. Call us. We’re ready!!!!!