Native Americans pumped up with ritual dances. Ballroom dancing, ballet and waltz were just a few that paved the way for formal dancing. Michael Jackson’s Thriller, the Macarena, and the Cha Cha Slide are some modern grooves that helped burn calories after many cake-filled wedding receptions. And just when you may have thought the dance craze was taking a break, a new dance enters the scene.
Introducing: The Interlude, the new dance break-through.
On Friday, Oct. 7, the full impact of the Interlude was unleashed in ALHS. Seniors took over the media center and showed off their moves during fourth hour. Sixth hour lunch was taken over by a massive flash mob running around tables and letting loose.  Several people got up from their tables and joined in. For two minutes and six seconds, the commons was turned into a dance hall. Video footage of the dancing can even be found circulating on Facebook. It was a school spirit boost just in time for Homecoming.
Homecoming week wasn’t the first time ALHS students have been a part of the Interlude. Since the Interlude has been growing in popularity every day, Rocky Mountain High decided to give it a try this summer. Rocky Mountain High is a Christian camp held every third summer in Estes Park, Colo. Albert Lea High School seniors Kyle Ooms, Ashley Schoonover, Annabelle Randall, Kelly Nelson, Kelsey Loverink, Colleen Thompson, Chelsey Reynerson and Lacey Snyder attended Rocky Mountain High this past July. They learned how to do the Interlude at one of the sessions, and that was all it took.
“It was the coolest thing to have 3,000 people all doing the same thing,” explained senior Kelsey Loverink. “It got us excited and brought us all together. I’d love to see our school start doing it at pep fests!”
The “Rocky Kids” couldn’t pass up the chance to teach the Link Crew the infectious dance. Once the Link Crew leaders had the moves down, they took it a step further. Link Crew leaders shared the Interlude with the eighth graders on their orientation day, Aug. 31, and the ninth graders on their orientation day, Sept. 1. One Link Crew leader shared how the experience made him feel.
“The Interlude makes me feel empowered,” said senior Evan Templeman, who also helped get fans doing the Interlude at one of the home football games. “When I dance I feel like I’m on top of the world. Like I can change the world. Like I can make a difference.”
This catchy dance has its roots at the University of Northern Iowa. What began as just a song by Attack Attack! became a sensation for college students at UNI. The Interlude was invented and videotaped by UNI students Ian Goldsmith, Scott Connerly and Tyler Wright. The official dance was finalized in the summer of 2010 and was dubbed “The Interlude”. The dance has the following motions: warming hands by the fire, claps, up-and-down arm movements (the chorus), hand sparkles, ninja robots and “Jersey Shore” fist pumps. It was the boys’ way of getting the crowd pumped up for their school’s basketball games. It’s even a popular video on YouTube, with more than 222,000 hits. It has spread like wildfire. And why try to contain something that can’t be tamed?
The power of numbers is plain to see when a crowd does the Interlude. The unity and spirit can’t be hidden when people break out into dance moves. Dancing on your own is fine and dandy, but when thousands of people join together in a dance like the Interlude it’s an automatic attitude lift. It’s not like other dances. Whereas some dances have difficult steps that those of us who lack gracefulness have no hope of doing, the Interlude can be done by all ages. If you can move your limbs, you can do the Interlude.
Templeman said: “Simply put: it’s amazing. Everyone can do it; it’s healthy for kids, and it doesn’t segregate. Sweaty fun for everyone!”