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Screenshot 2018-09-11 15.45.46.jpg

Missy Elliott's Dancers Will Make You Feel Like Getting Down

By Mieka Strawhorn | Social Media | September 11, 2018 |

By Mieka Strawhorn | Social Media | September 11, 2018 |

Screenshot 2018-09-11 15.45.46.jpg

Pajiba’s own Brian Richards already made sure we collectively took a day to appreciate the artistic contributions of Missy Elliot, and I’d like to add to the lovefest by making sure we also appreciate the contributions of her dance crew. All summer long, Missy has generously been sharing behind-the-scenes footage of her dance rehearsals, and they are fire.

I’ve never had the pleasure of seeing Missy live, but based on these videos, she puts on a world class show and is surrounded by ridiculously talented dancers who love working with her. I am a terrible dancer, but being a fly on the wall at Missy’s rehearsals makes me almost feel like I’m part of the crew. And I only have to put forth as much effort as it takes to stab my clumsy, out of shape finger into my phone screen! In my imagination, I’m walking into Essence Fest with Missy and the gang and I’m a featured performer. See, there’s me in the way, way back. Behind that closed door. I’m stretching or something.

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When we walk in Essence festival like…🙌🏾

A post shared by Missy Elliott (@missymisdemeanorelliott) on

Again, if you’re like me and love to dance, but have been doing the same robot arm move for the last 20 years, you too can trick yourself into thinking you’re at rehearsal and participating in a surprise routine for Missy’s B-day.

Additionally, if like me, your idea of a fun thing to do at a wedding is to request the Double Dutch Bus and then go around the room pretending to be a bus driver picking up passengers in order to form a “modern” conga line, then this video is what you think you look like. You do not.

How about when you have family night and you and your cousin have too much wine with dinner and retire to the family room to play a fun game of “follow the leader” and you think it looks like this, but it looks more like two middle-aged drunk aunties who can’t even get through one combination of “The Electric Slide” without getting winded.

I don’t go to the club anymore, but sometimes I get tired of the bummer news on NPR and turn the car radio on the oldies Hip Hop station (which, by the way, is now considered anything that came out in the 2000s, please shoot me) and my jam comes on, my stank face is just as good as featured performer Sean Bankhead’s. I swear!

Don’t believe me, ask this kid. I taught him everything he knows.

Missy’s posts are a ray of sunshine in my IG feed and I’m so enamored with the talent, camaraderie, and positive energy she and her dancers are putting out into the world. Now, if I can just learn to clap on the 2 and 4 instead of the 1 and 3, I’ll not only get my black card renewed, I might just have a chance next time Missy auditions new dancers!