Final Project- Twerking Like Animals/Twerk It Out

In light of my feedback from Professor Cacoilo, I decided to take a slightly different route for my final project about the dance phenomena known as twerking. I explored not only the consequences that may or have come from twerking, but the positive aspects of it too. I noticed the comparison negative v. positive can be connected to convergence of media. While media is the central idea, old habits(newspapers, radio) die hard and new ones(internet, social media) are making way for more innovations in the media world.  

To make my comparison, I wrote a song and made a lyric video for the class to read or sing along. I don’t take any video classes, that part was more for fun. I display these “old habits” in the beginning of the song with the reasons twerking is bad. The second half of the song is more of an encouragement to express yourself. If it’s for you, it’s for you. Plus, there are instances where twerking can be positive and lead you to discovering what you thought was the impossible, which in terms of convergence would be the “new habits”.

To play into the topic of media and draw more attention, I remixed two popular culture songs,- “Animals” by Maroon 5 and Taylor Swift’s “Shake It Off”. The lyrics of the song come from information straight from my research, some lines being direct quotes. 

Honey, let me explain

you will feel low back pain

if you twerk like an animal

Maybe your mom is terrified

By your dance so sexualized

Twerking like an animal….

What are you trying to do there?

Twerking in front of the courthouse, guess who’s there?

Its the police coming after you

charged with disorderly 

conduct, disgracing your family

or you get suspended from schoooool.

Its your twerk and you can do what you want

shaking those hips in a bouncing motion

i only stated negative things

but twerking can lead to better things

But at the same time!

Arch your back and shake shake shake shake shake shake 

Twerking into shape shape shape shape

You might get paid and fame fame fame fame

tweak it out tweak it out

In 6 seconds i get paid

More than months a teachers aid

Thats what vine sensations say mm mm

Thats what jess vanessa says.

West africa originates

In southern hip hop for decades 

Its a culture, some say mm

Just steer children away

Just keep twerking,

its just like your working

out,  your hearts faster 

increasing your metabolism

Arch your back and shake shake shake shake shake shake 

Twerking into shape shape shape shape

You might get paid and fame fame fame fame

tweak it out tweak it out

Twerk it out Twerk it out

Bibliography

Hater, Hilton. "Jessica Vanessa Quits Teaching Position, Makes Over $100,000 as Full-Time Twerker." The Hollywood Gossip. 10 Oct. 2014. Web. 4 Dec. 2014.

<http://www.thehollywoodgossip.com/2014/10/jessica-vanessa-quits-teaching-position-makes-over-100000-dollar/>.

KANONIUK, LACHLAN. "We Spoke to a Twerking Expert about Twerking." FasterLouder. 29 Aug. 2013. Web. 1 Dec. 2014.

<http://www.fasterlouder.com.au/features/36758/We-spoke-to-a-twerking-expert-about-twerking>.


Kirsch, Jeff. "Police: Women 'twerking' outside City Hall Arrested, Found with Drugs." Fox 12 News. 27 May 2014. Web. 3 Dec. 2014.

<http://www.kptv.com/story/25373644/twerking-arrests-beaverton-city-hall->.

Krans, Brian. "Should Your Next Workout Be a Twerk Out?" Healthlines RSS News. 27 Aug. 2013. Web. 1 Dec. 2014. 

 

<http://www.healthline.com/health-news/fitness-is-twerking-a-good-way-to-tone-your-body-082713>.

 

News, ABC. "High School Students Suspended for ‘Twerking’." ABC News. ABC News Network, 3 May 2013. Web. 3 Dec. 2014. 

 

<http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/headlines/2013/05/high-school-students-suspended-for-twerking/>.

 

 

Ostroff, Joshua. "Wait, Twerking Is As Old As Miley?!?" The Huffington Post. 13 Sept. 2013. Web. 3 Dec. 2014. 

 

<http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2013/09/05/what-is-twerking-history-twerk_n_3838993.html>.