Have you ever heard of longboard dancing? I certainly hadn’t, but you’d better believe that the moment this video came across my dash I clicked through. Yes, I was enticed by the thought of discovering a new genre of dance. But I will also admit to being lured in by the “Paris” in the title. Thankfully, this music video by Lotfi Lamaali delivered on both counts.
But first, a quick Google, because again, what exactly is longboard dancing? Well, it turns out it is “an artsy subset of freestyling“, which was a decidedly unhelpful description that sent me down a rabbit hole of YouTube videos trying to discern the difference between freestyle and regular skateboarding. To be honest, I still don’t really understand the distinction, but I also don’t need to in order to enjoy today’s helping. You don’t need to be a longboarding expert to recognize the beauty of the moves on display. The fluidity and the grace. And the song by Soren is the perfect compliment to all this. Yet another artist I will have to look into at a later date.
However, as much as I’d like to say that I chose this video solely for the purposes of educating myself on a new artistic medium, that would be a lie. It’s been over six months since Paris closed up for a second time, and over a year since I simply enjoyed the city. This week marks the beginning of a slow re-opening, and watching Lotfi Lamaali dance his way through streets I haven’t seen in months was wonderful but bittersweet.
I have no idea when Paris will fully re-open again, but I do know that I can’t wait. I won’t be on a longboard, because let’s face it, I’d break a limb in less than a minute. But I can’t wait to just walk through the streets again, singing along to my latest favourite song. I might even dance…
Suggestions for artists I should check out? Please contact me with your ideas. I hope you enjoyed your daily helping of art!
