A block devoted to songs with dances attached to them. This is my favorite block of Dance Marathon 2008, not becasue of the song selections (though they are good), but mainly because it’s a cool concept, forces people to move and makes everyone look like an idiot. I don’t need much to introduce this, if the tunes got a dance with it, it’s in.

Showstoppers

1. First Song: “Thriller” by Michael Jackson

My plan for this block involves three huge songs stacked at the start, middle and end of this period. They are more or less interchangeable, but I say kick the block off with “Thriller,” a massive dance song with a slightly slow buildup. The key to these three songs are awesome dances, and “Thriller’s” choreography is pretty close to universal.

2. Middle Song: “Y.M.C.A.” by Village People

This could be the National Anthem. Everyone loves pretending to look like various letters, and all shame goes out the window once this 70’s classic starts up. An extremely easy dance to do, and everyone in the Louis Room (and that tent thing) will be doing it for sure.

3. Final Song: “Crank That (Soulja Boy)” by Soulja Boy

You knew this was coming. At DM 2009, you’d probably drop this in the “guilty pleasure” or “music meant to cause great shame to the world” block, but DM 2008 comes at just the right time, where Soulja Boy’s novelty hasn’t worn off completely yet, and the song still causes legions of naive college kids to “superman that ohhhhhhh!” Timing at its finest.

Avoid at all Costs

1. “The Humpty Dance” by Digital Underground

Somehow, this terrible song also came with a terrible dance. Usually, one or the other blocks out the other, but the cosmos aligned for this one, giving the world a truly horrid combination of dancing and rhymes.

2. “Macarena” by Los Del Rio

I never got the appeal of this dance. You pretty much stay still except for in the arms, and even then it isn’t very fun. Los Del Rio’s only song ever worth noting comes off more like a game of Dance Dance Revolution - all about timing, not about fun.

A Few Other Songs To Include With No Reason

- “Watch my Feet” by Dude N Nem
- “Cupid Shuffle” by Cupid (so easy to do)
- “Mashed Potato Time” by Dee Dee Sharp
- “Twist and Shout” by The Beatles
- “Jump Around” by House of Pain

Indie Songs That Would Work But Will Never Be Played

- “Do the Standing Still” by The Dismemberment Plan - A song about not dancing at rock shows, and making fun of siad people for it. A bit meta, but still danceable for a song about not dancing though they should be dancing.

- “You! Me! Dancing!” by Los Campesino! - Cut off the minute long intro, and you got a killer guitar driven track about a kid who doesn’t know how to dance learning to let go and shake it. Beyond infectious, and one of my favorites.

- “Control” by Kid Sister - Instructions provided!

Great Videos to Show

- “D.A.N.C.E.” by Justice - A bit overplayed, but overplayed doesn’t matter at DM. Bring on the French!

- “Groove is in the Heart” by Dee Lite - Oldie but a goodie. Bootsy Collins makes the video. Being on drugs would help, but I don’t expect Food Committee to help with that.

- “Whip It” by Devo - Whip it good!