For those of us without dance skills, it’s always amazing to see someone who can move with the music and look good while doing it.
But even for those of you who can dance, we challenge you to be anything less than blown away by the stylings of Marquese Scott from Atlanta, Georgia.
Scott is what’s called a popping and animation dancer. If you don’t know what that is, check out this quick clip in which he introduces 14 new dance moves of style, just to get a taste:
Amazing, right?
If you can believe it, Scott first started taking dance seriously in middle school in Indianapolis, Indiana and practiced at the local roller rink. (I live in Indiana and it’s not exactly known as a cutting-edge street dance capital!) Before moving to Atlanta, he served in the Navy and then worked at a local Wal-mart while perfecting his craft.
The closest “old school” comparison people have come up with when watching Scott is Michael Jackson, but while his moves are clearly inspired by the King of Pop, he’s light years beyond the moonwalk. He even made a tribute video to Jackson’s hit Smooth Criminal that’s now been viewed by over 100k people:
It’s no wonder that Scott’s YouTube channel has over 2 million subscribers.
But this is nowhere close to his most-watched performance.
The music he dances to is the much-maligned “dubstep,” a sound heavy with syncopated rhythms. But it’s not really about the music.
People just can’t stop watching this man. In fact, even his style of dress has had a major impact on not just street dancers but young fans as well, who are always keen to see what brands he’s wearing or if he has the latest pair of Jordan sneakers.
When you watch him move, your first thought might be that there’s some sort of trick photography, but there’s no editing here. He doesn’t even pre-choreograph his routines!
His most viral hit so far has been his Pumped Up Kicks video, which earned him more than 130 MILLION views. That video earned him an invitation to perform on The Ellen Show, hosted by comedian Ellen DeGeneres (who we know loves to dance). Take a look at his guest spot:
Scott has dozens of videos on his YouTube channel, which he started 7 years ago. And he hasn’t rested on his laurels – over 100 new videos have been posted since his most viral performance! Talk about dedication.
And before we show you his most-watched dance, it’s nice to take note that he seems to be a good guy who likes to give back as well. Scott spends his time traveling the world to bring people’s attention to the art of dance, collaborates with other dancers (of many different styles), and inspires young people all over the planet to pursue their dreams and follow their passions.
Even while in the Navy, Scott couldn’t help but dance. As he told Dance Informa Magazine:
“At boot camp it was obvious I had a passion for dance because even though we weren’t supposed to be dancing or anything at all – you’re not even supposed to talk half the time – there I was dancing, sometimes even to the marching cadence. I was getting myself and everyone else in trouble. That’s when I knew I had a passion for it because I was always dancing.”
When he moved to Atlanta, he didn’t just start dancing and assume his innate talent would carry him through. He understood the importance of proper training and building a good foundation for his craft.
“The first step was meeting up with other dancers and learning the fundamentals and the basics,” he said. “Before that, I was pretty much all over the place. I didn’t have any structure to my dance. So the first thing was to learn about my craft and how to do it properly.”
Animation dance incorporates smooth movements, robotic elements, and motions and balance that seem almost superhuman (at least to an onlooker). He explains:
“Animation can be described as a form of dance that tricks the mind. It makes you think time is somehow being slowed down. There is a strobe light effect where you see flashes of positions but not so much the connecting movement. It makes you feel like you’re in a game of interchanging stops and motions.”
Now it’s time to take a look at Marquese “Nonstop” Scott’s viral video Pumped Up Kicks, which got over 1.5 million hits on its first day and was viewed over 5 million times by the end of its first week on YouTube. It will no doubt leave you in awe.
But remember, this video was made 7 years ago and Scott has only gotten better, so be sure to check out the rest of his channel for even more amazing videos.
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