LI nightspots do the 'Harlem Shake'

If you have spent anytime surfing the Web or strolling through Facebook posts during the past few weeks, it is highly probable you have come across a “Harlem Shake” video … if not dozens.

For anyone who has yet to view one of these bits, a brief explanation of the phenomenon must begin with the music at its core. Produced by EDM artist “Baauer” (aka Harry Rodrigues), the “Harlem Shake” is an upbeat, bass-bouncing track that was born in the summer of 2012 -- and while it has already received plenty of play in nightclubs, the tune found new life as the musical backing to a succession of 30-second viral videos that follow a basic story line.

Since the beginning of February 2013, the Web has been awash with takes on the Harlem Shake (with schools, groups of friends, TV shows, businesses, offices and other collectives responsible), all of which begin with one person dancing lithely among a room full of people who seem completely oblivious to the individual in motion; this goes on for about 15 seconds as the music swells. At the top of the crescendo the song announces, “Do the Harlem Shake” – which is followed by an instantaneous edit jump -- and suddenly everyone who was previously uninterested in the lone dancer is now also gyrating wildly, sometimes joined by even more people previously not present. In addition, many clips include dancers wearing bizarre costumes while others choose to hold randomly-selected props – and this goes on for the final 15 seconds.