The 'Jerusalema Challenge' has finally reached Jerusalem!
And the Jerusalem Municipality has finally taken notice of the phenomenon.
By SARAH CHEMLAMayor of Jerusalem Moshe Lion and municipality workers dancing on the song "Jerusalema"(photo credit: IDO CHOEN/JERUSALEM MUNICIPALITY)
Have you heard of the “Jerusalema Challenge” phenomenon? Everyone has. And now the city of Jerusalem will, too.Performed in countless videos and viral campaigns around the world, the Jerusalema Dance Challenge has become the world dance phenomenon of 2020 that has captivated millions around the globe.The dance challenge originated from the song "Jerusalema," in which the singer, South African DJ Master KG, begs God to take him to the holy city of Jerusalem.Finally, after traveling the world for months, the #Jerusalemchallenge has finally arrived at its intended destination: The Holy City itself.Indeed, the Jerusalem Municipality has finally taken notice of the phenomenon, and Jerusalem Mayor Moshe Lion, along with Holocaust survivors, elementary school students, youth from both the east and west of Jerusalem, university students, and municipality workers can be seen dancing together in a new video released on YouTube on December 6.The "Jerusalema" song topped the South African charts in December 2019 and again in February of this year, as lockdowns began to seem like a possibility. It was an Angolan dance troupe who recorded themselves dancing to the song that sparked the viral phenomenon that has since swept the globe.“It is a dance that was done by people from Angola, then Portugal followed and it just went viral from that point,” Master KG said in an interview with South African newspaper Sowetan.The #JerusalemaChallenge has been compared to the Macarena, and has spawned dance videos from many countries, including Israel, the Netherlands, Portugal, Italy, Spain, France, Jamaica, Canada and the United States.Choreographers around the world have posted tutorials online, while celebrities such as footballer Cristiano Ronaldo and singer Janet Jackson have posted shout-outs to the song, which has already garnered 140 million views on YouTube.
Zimbabwe’s most renowned human rights lawyer recorded a version of the dance, as did a team of Romanian firefighters – and a few dozen socially distanced flash mobs around the world.“It’s so beautiful to see how Jerusalema has taken over the world, to see how far it has gone. The song did amazing at home. It ruled the streets and people created memories of the song,” Master KG said in the interview with Sowetan, elated by his creation's global success.Also, a special feature film based on the viral music hit is in preparation and was shot in September at the Cape Town Film Studios in Cape Town, South Africa, Reuters reported.
