U. of Alabama Shakes Up Harlem Shake Attempt

The wildly popular "Harlem Shake" dance videos can range from the small and minimal to the extensive and elaborate. No matter what the flavor, though, this latest Internet craze is something everyone seems to be jumping into. Yesterday, however, the University of Alabama (UA) took issue with some students attempting to make a Harlem Shake video on the UA quad.

For those of you who don't spend nearly as much time on the Internet as I do, the Harlem Shake is a "meme" in which people make a 30-second dance video to music producer Baauer's "Harlem Shake." The first 15 seconds of the videos show a single person in costume dancing in front of a group of disinterested people. Then, the video quickly cuts to 15 seconds of those same people or an entire crowd dancing wildly to the same song.

It might be something you have to see to understand:

View video

Unfortunately, an attempt by UA students to make a Harlem Shake video has been thwarted by campus police. You see, UA requires students to obtain a permit before assembling on the quad—a permit with a 10-day waiting period and one that organizer Nojan Radfar reportedly didn't know he needed. Upon seeing the unsanctioned assembly of students preparing to get their boogie on, the University of Alabama Police Department spoke with Radfar, and, after a half-hour conversation, Radfar dismissed the crowd amidst boos and chanting.

The Crimson White, UA's student newspaper, quotes Radfar, who says he was ticketed and instructed to not speak to media about the event.

FIRE is looking into the incident, and as the story unfolds we will be certain to let Torch readers know how this shakes out!