The Evolution of Dance, a viral video that was developed and performed by Judson Laipply, a motivational speaker and stand up comedian from Cleveland is one the most viewed clips in many video sharing websites. As of May of 2009, the video has over 120 million views and because of this Internet success, Judson is now enjoying the popularity of an international phenom. He has appeared on acclaimed television programs like Good Morning America, The Today Show, and Inside Edition, among others.
For those who are not familiar with the video, it featured Judson doing funny renditions of different types of dances throughout different decades. He did dances from the Michael Jackson era to the Vanilla Ice era to the Backstreet Boys era. It was really funny because he even did a hilarious performance of the Oompa Loompa dance—a scene—from the Charlie and the Chocolate factory. It was a famous movie in the 1970s. The Evolution of Dance is a one of kind video that will effectively tickle everyone’s funny bone!
Background of Evolution of Dance
The dance rendition that has been circulating in various video sharing websites all over the world was first performed in the spring of 2001. Uploaded on YouTube in April of 2006, a few months later, it was passed on from one individual to another, posted in a myriad of blogs, discussed on countless talk shows, and the rest is history. In the long run, the six minute video became of the most watched videos on the World Wide Web.
One may ask what the real essence of the Evolution of Dance is. It can be said that it is a perfect perceivable example of how life undergoes changes in a regular manner. Each dance and song was the fad during a particular period, but as life diversifies, new songs, moves, and dances appeared and added to a continually changing routine.
Secret to Success of Evolution of Dance
When asked about how he attained viral success, Judson cannot pin point the exact reason for it. But when in his appearance in the Inside Edition, he noted that it was probably because he added a sense of comedy in his dance routine. This way, a lot of people paid attention to his performance. Perhaps his laid-back and artistic personality coupled by his unique approach to life’s challenges also plays a key role in his success. In addition, his animated and playful stage appeal every time he performs the said dance routine, always amazes and somewhat overwhelms his audience.
With exposure to different employment opportunities such as working at a camp in Colorado, on a cruise ship, as an Aerobics instructor, college instructor, part-time auctioneer, and writer, Judson can effectively relate and communicate to audiences from different walks of life. Furthermore, during his performances, he promises to achieve to things to make his audience laugh and make them think. He uses a phenomenon that is labelled as “Inspirational Comedy” or a funny act that is specifically designed to relate to the realities and challenges of real life. In his seven years of practice, his passion and dedication for his craft is unwavering and unchanging.
The Advent of the Evolution of Dance 2
The success of the performance paved the way for the development of Evolution of Dance 2. It was sponsored by compare and save hotspot company, Saveology and self help site PeopleJam—two start up companies with say, a knack for success. The sequel was released on January of 2009 and like its predecessor, it instantly developed a strong viewership growth in its release.
Video performance eclipsed three million views after not more than three weeks and continued to improve audience share with an average of about 190,000 views shortly after its release. On June of 2010, the third sequel for this successful viral video hit the Internet scene and proved to be as successful as its first two installments.
Imitating the success of Evolution of Dance
The success of the said video is really something that is worth imitating. Those who want to attain its level of accomplishment should bear in mind that they should first reflect what a viral video or an Internet sensation really is. A certain video cannot be branded viral because of its interpretation. It can only have viral potential. On the other hand, if that particular potential is carefully tapped and nurtured, then one can have something that will achieve Internet success.
As such, a particular video that has a strong potential should be well taken care of, especially in the advertising phase since it is important in today “web-crazy” world. By effectively doing this, one can certainly appreciate the essence of viral video success.
Conclusion
Upon reading the article, it can be said that the success of Evolution of Dance has somewhat changed the way viral videos are viewed. Judson Laipply is a genius and his success is something that is hard to imitate or even get near its level. It should be remembered that to attain a high level of recognition in the Internet realm, one needs to have an “X factor” or something that will get one way ahead of competition.
Judson clearly exemplifies the importance and obvious relevance of this aspect. In the end, it can be said that creating a video is easy, but achieving a level of success in the World Wide Web and keeping it for a long time is very difficult. Simply look at the Evolution of Dance, it is rather hard to imagine other videos can attain this kind of recognition.
