When a video has been viewed over a billion times, you know it must be good.
It all began in 2001 when motivational speaker, comedian, and dancer Judson Laipply performed two minutes of dance moves to 12 songs to close out one of his speaking gigs.
Over the next four years, that routine would evolve into a six-minute show with over 30 songs, showcasing the evolution of dance moves (and music) over the 20th century.
The original posting of his “Evolution of Dance” video in 2006 has been viewed over 300 MILLION times and a new video with a second set of moves and songs has been seen another 700 million times to total about a BILLION views!
It’s now one of the most-watched performances in the history of YouTube – even more surprising since it’s a fairly low-res video!
After just a few months, a few million views gave Laipply the opportunity to appear on television shows including 20/20, Good Morning America, Ellen, and The Today Show and in magazines such as Rolling Stone and People.
Laipply came up with his idea when a mentor told him to find a unique way to convey a message about how things change over time.
He chose dance as his medium and the lighthearted – and at times hilarious – the result has been a hit with people of all ages who recognize dance moves going all the way back to the 1950s (the video starts with Elvis’ famous Hound Dog gyrations).
From disco to an attempt at moonwalking to headbanging and even the chicken dance, Laipply dances to samples from Chubby Checker, The Brady Bunch, Grease, Thriller, and even walks like an Egyptian and performs the Oompa Loompa dance from Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory.
There’s also some pretty fancy footwork when he tries to emulate MC Hammer, Sir Mix-A-Lot, and N’Sync.
But we think his robot is the best.
In 2016, Laipply released the third installment of his now-trademarked “Evolution of Dance” series in honor of the 10th anniversary of his rise to fame – that video now has over 1.3 million views.
The latest hodge-podge of song and dance features everything from The Rocky Horror Picture Show’s Time Warp to Shakira’s Hips Don’t Lie.
21st-century moves like the “Stanky Legg” and Beyoncé’s famous Single Ladies choreography are also featured before he signs off with an unlikely choice from The Sound of Music.
Laipply maintains a website and a full range of social media and allows fans to hire him for engagements. His talks and performances are designed to help “people and organizations deal with and create change while reminding them about the importance of growth and evolving.”
And his speaking skills are just as renowned as his dancing. According to one representative from SONY who hired him:
“His storytelling approach is a lost art…I’ve never seen a better, more enjoyable more applicable ending to a presentation.”
It’s clear Laipply has left a lasting impression on popular culture.
His videos have inspired other dancers to make their own clips and have given people the world over a new appreciation for not just the role of song and dance in our lives but just how much “cool” music and moves change over time.
Be sure to scroll down to see the original video!
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