After a video of him dancing went viral last year, Erik Cavanaugh encouraged the world to question dance stereotypes. Now, Erik is back with a new video about dancing and the way people sometimes define what a dancer “should” be.
The video and its accompanying song “Dancing With U” shows the story of a boy who is interested in dancing but is made fun of and bullied for it. When the boy grows up, he is still working toward being a dancer, yet body image and dance stereotypes still follow him around. When he attends an audition and blows everyone away despite their expectations of him, we can see the ways in which the other dancers begin to question their understanding of what dance is and what a dancer should be.
This narrative and Erik Cavanaugh’s unshakable ambition are both important to the dance community and the world as a whole. Whether you are a dancer or not, it is important to consider the ways the stereotypes society enforces can hurt others. We should always strive to break down barriers and throw kindness like confetti.
Check out Erik Cavanaugh’s masterpiece below (and prepare to get emotional).
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