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Detroit Neighbors Spread Joy In Viral Video Of Social Distancing ‘Ballroom’ Dance

Coronavirus can’t stop, won’t stop a Motor City tradition.

In good times and bad times, one thing Detroiters love to do is ballroom.

That is, they love the smooth, rhythmic dance done to mellow music, which has been long popular and has become a Motor City cultural staple. So, it was no surprise when a group of Detroit neighbors combined the rules of social distancing with their best signature moves to engage in a bit of togetherness during the pandemic.

Take a look at the fun-filled moment below:

A viral video posted to Twitter has been circulating showing a group of people on the city’s East Side, swaying back and forth and side to side in front of their homes while a loudspeaker played Luther Vandross’s 1982 hit “Better Love.”

"We had a drive-by parade party for my cousin's birthday on Monday and my aunt, Luwana McVay-Conway, invited us back the next day to celebrate her neighbor's birthday," said Bria Renee, who appears in the video to the Detroit Free Press. "My aunt asked us to ballroom and then her neighbors next door and across the street began to ballroom with us."

In Detroit, ballrooming can traditionally be seen everywhere from nightclubs, to weddings to backyard parties. It can be done with a partner or as a line dance, in which it is locally called a “hustle.” Community centers give lessons and there are even contests for the more serious dancers. Some have compared it to Chicago’s stepping tradition, but while similar, the two dances are unique to each city, although they both trace their roots to earlier Black dance traditions like the jitterbug and lindy-hop.

Since Huffington Post front page editor and Detroit native Phillip Lewis posted the video, it has been retweeted more than 13,000 times. Detroit Twitter (yes, that’s a thing), including some well-known people, reacted with joy.

"Ballrooming is part of true Detroit Culture," Renee continued. "People that aren't from here wouldn't understand. I was shocked to see our video go viral, but during times like this, people want to see positivity. As a family, we found a way to have a good time and connect, while following social distancing rules at the same time."

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