"ASK A METALHEAD" EPISODE TWO "FIVE OF THE MOST COMMON DANCES AT METAL SHOWS"

Hi there and welcome to the second edition of "ASK A METALHEAD" !!!

This is a weekly episode where I take heavy metal questions from the steemit comunity and try to answer them using my extensive experience and my PHD background in metallurgy (the science and study of rock and metal)

Let's begin with a request from last week's METALHEADS post from https://steemit.com/@zenmotherfucker.
( https://steemit.com/funny/@kit8000/today-is-the-first-ever-episode-of-ask-a-metal-head )

Where he asked "Alright man, do the pogo now, or better yet, five hardcore punk mosh pit techniques."

So let's begin with POGOING ...the go to dance for the front row people, or oversold shows....

The pogo is a dance in which the dancers jump up and down, while either remaining on the spot or moving around; the dance takes its name from its resemblance to the use of a pogo stick.

The most common version of the dance is where an individual keeps their torso stiff, their arms rigid, and their legs close together. Pogo dancing is most associated with punk rock but also found in Heavy Metal, and is a precursor to moshing.

This brings us to #2.... the CIRCLE PIT.

The circle pit can be described as a vigorous energetic dance where the participants bump and jostle (punch/kick) each other as they move in a circle. Most commonly practiced while heavily under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol, practitioners of this dance have learned over time that big wide circles are the best practice of this type of dance as small tight circles have caused problems.

Variations of this tribalistic dance have been around for hundreds if not thousands of years.
This type of dance has also been documented in religions...

And in nature....

Next up is #3....The WALL OF DEATH.

Perhaps the most exhilarating and dangerous ritual you can experience in a mosh pit is the infamous wall of death. It's a true reenactment of war as two sides, split down the middle, charge towards each other with the hope of survival.

Some practitioners try doing stunts to stand out from their peers. Some of the larger alphas of this group have been documented picking up and using other smaller participants as shields just before impact.

That brings us to #4......HEADBANGING.

Headbanging is violently shaking one's head in time with music, most commonly in the rock, punk, and heavy metal music genres. Headbanging is sometimes used by musicians on stage.
Health problems can occur if done for too long or too vigorously. For example in 2009, Slayer bassist/vocalist Tom Araya began experiencing spinal problems due to his aggressive form of headbanging, and had to undergo anterior cervical discectomy and fusion.

Finally #5.....CROWD SURFING.

Crowd surfing, also known as body surfing, is the process in which a person is passed overhead from person to person (often during a concert), transferring the person from one part of the venue to another. The "crowd surfer" is passed above everyone's heads, with everyone's hands supporting the person's weight.

At most concerts and festivals the crowd surfer will be passed towards a barrier in front of the stage by the crowd, where they will be pulled off and put on their feet by security. Then, they will be sent back to the side or rear of the crowd at the end of the barrier or (if security are assholes) they may be ejected from the venue.

Special mention to the runners up that were not included in the five I picked.....

STAGE DIVING....

SLAM DANCING....(or what I like to call the "tasmanian devil")

The GORILLA....

The PICKING UP CHANGE....

The DRUNKIN INCHWORM....

And finally the rare SPINNING DIRT CRAB....(also known as "honey, I think the dog has worms" dance.)

So that is the end of this week's "ASK A METAL HEAD"

If you have a question or topic suggestion you would like to "ASK A METALHEAD" please put your question down in the comments and I will pick the best one and answer it next week.....

Thanks again to https://steemit.com/@zenmotherfucker for the suggestion and tune in next week for episode 3.

Don't forget the unspoken rule at metal shows, to help someone up if you see them go down in a mosh pit and of course....