When I saw this video floating around the interwebs I saved it immediately. I keep watching it over and over. Why? Because I friggen love Afro-Pop dance, AND I am a rhythmless black girl. And as a rhythmless black girl, I appreciate dancing in a way that only a rhythmless black girl can.
However, I had one of my readers tell me she was disappointed that I would celebrate a white woman, and that based on this single post she’d be unfollowing. Which is interesting, because my blog is my business and as a black woman in business, it’s disappointing when Black folks are so quick to cast you aside if you share a difference in perspective.
I would say I’m fairly woke. Am I the captain of the woke squad? No. So if you follow this blog because you are looking for woke news 24-7 you are in the wrong space. If you think white people won’t creep up on here from time to time, you’re still in the wrong space.
I write about things that interest me, from pop culture, beauty, and fashion. My hope is that these things will interest you too, but from time to time I will share trending topics that may fall outside of what you expect. And we may not always see eye-to-eye, which is okay for me, and I hope it’s okay for you, too.
Now, according to her Instagram (access it HERE), the wife’s name is Katy and she is a London-based dancer.
Here’s what she had to say about the dance:
So we told everyone we weren’t going to do a first dance (as in choreo). Jeff told me he didn’t wana do it because he knew I wouldn’t be able to keep it a secret so last min he said let’s do one! We had like 3 reh in our front room …@Yemialade Jonny
Watch the video here (for the African dance skip to minute 1:30):
Is she another “basic Becky” being applauded for being basic, or is her sudden internet “fame,” deserved?
Hey, Boo! My name is Lisa and you’ve stumbled upon my own little corner of the world. I’m a 30 something-year-old writer/mother/wife who happens to love lipstick, high heels, blackness, and the truth. You’ll find a mix of everything on this site, so I won’t bore you by trying to define this space. I hope you stay awhile!
I’m telling your 2017 is the year of “do you”. This girl is happy to be married to her man, and she is clearly in love with him and the man he is, probably due to the way he was raised and his culture. She decided to dance with him, they seem happy. I truly would hate to be a bride, celebrating and having strangers come for me for having fun on my special day. If her husband and family love it then why be rude?
It’s like that bride who’s husband planned her engagement and wedding in the same day and surprised her. People found issues with that and were hella negative after a few days of celebrating black love. I’m just tired of always commenting on the next person. They seem happy, and after 2016, I just everyone to be happy and enjoy life in 2017.
Yes, she loves her husband and wanted to do something respectful, tasteful, and special.
Right on
Dance is dance. Doesn’t have color and she is happy, let’s celebrate Love.
I concur…Thank you!!
To all the black women – you should be upset. The more white women adapt to and adopt our culture becoming more like “us” without actually have to be us (a black women) the less our existence is needed in the eyes of our black men and American culture. You should be upset at the implicit notions that a little black girl is internalizing when she sees this and what a little black boy takes away from this.
We don’t get upset at this type of image but they want to get upset that there aren’t enough positive images of us in the media. If you do not see the connection then you can stop reading here…. I’ll wait…..
We are the only race of people who do not protect our culture. We let everyone else adopt and capitalize off of being black with no repercussion. Play some country music and dance to it at your wedding (if you get married as the divorce rate for us is so high) and post it on Youtube and see how many times you get called a monkey. White people protect their culture and there is nothing wrong with that.
This is a planned activity for their historical moment. They decided to do this asacouple. She’s doing these dances in her wedding dress. Not in black faces big ole red lips painted. IT is what it is… it’s done very well.
I love this video for all the reasons you said plus, they look happy. They look in love. Its great and i love your blog!!
much appreciated!
Enjoy the dang video! My goodness.. People need to get it together. So what she is white! She and this man are in love and she learned a dance that’s not culturally hers. But anybody who CAN dance should be able to DANCE any style if dance they want. I can’t stand when even an act of love can’t be celebrated bcuz people can’t get past the color of skin. Lord help us. The toxicity of the mindset of some people.
I love that she is embracing her husbands culture. Heck, we’ve had to embrace theirs for many years now. Good for her. I see LOVE. Quite honestly, I think she did an awesome job….Not to mention, she probably knows about “The Butters,” too.
That’s just awesome!! To have the kind of love that allows you to embrace and appreciate each other’s cultures is just freakin awesome! Beautiful couple! People are crazy, we need more of this in the world!
This video had me smiling from beginning to end. It is very lovely. Even found myself dancing along with the couple.
For the black peopl who have a problem with this lady on her wedding day I say to you, DOUBLE STANDARDS doesn’t belong here. If it ok for you dance with qhite people in the clubs then its ok for her to day with her Black Husband on “THEIR” day not yours so go suck on a lemon and be quite somwhere!
Lisa to the black lady who said she would unfollow you (Bye Felicia), you have so many more people who like what you post. She won’t be missed!
The dance is beautiful. .I love that she is embracing his black culture ..they are happy …wish them the best ..the young lady need to get her racist shit off your page
I absolutely love the video. I actually tagged my bestie on it last week and captioned it “She did that” cause she did. Like you said, it’s unfortunate that people aren’t open minded enough to appreciate something well done for what it is and it’s even more unfortunate that we can’t have a conversation without casting aside those with a different opinion than our own.
All in all, she deserves her new found fame. Now as far as you being a rhythm less black girl (Haitian at that), we need to do something about that ASAP! lol Next time you’re in town, let’s go dance the night away ?
And the Ancestors wept…
We gotta teach WP EVERYTHING, eh????
Awwww, this was an act of love between two people who love each other… Who are you to tear that apart ? I say let them be happy and you work on finding some happiness for yourself! Culture and dance were meant to be shared… when loved ones come to my house they are served food from my culture with love and they receive it with love and respect. You complain about appropriation and racism but you were so app to create it where it doesn’t exist . You want so badly to have a big rift between cultures, live that in your life but do not expect other people to do that themselves . Most people are so sick of the hatred and evilness in this world that we just want to love each other and except each other, we are the ones that are truly woke. Do not label love as hate and don’t label ignorance as evolution.
This was for lolo289
#Basic #My78yrOldMotherCouldDoBettee #DissapointingForDanceTeacher
As soon as I saw this. Ideo I knew she either was a dancer or they had practiced the steps but she did a good job and if you’re in the USA & look at “So you think you can dance” you see White kids doing African dance & doing it well!!..So I think we cannot hold on to our Culture so tight anymore!..it’s already been Globalized!!& imitated The only thing we can do is Educate our kids so they know the origin.
I really love tis video she kill it Miss. Lisa do your thing hun who ever is tis woman is she have to much time on her hand and nine out ten she property young and don’t have any idea about history other than what she heard and don’t know anything about love and marriage no one will marry someone out side of their race if they don’t any love about his/her race and the life of their lives these two didn’t see any color they see love among each other their bond what god put together let no man or woman come be tween they did that dace lovely she did that and for tis woman information there are a lots of white that was born in Africa and rise there also and any way why is a problem and she anit the only white person I seen dace to black music I seen a lil white girl dace Africa music and she did that so stop the hate and start try to love Miss. Lisa you have a lots of people love your post I’m sure one person gone it want even matters Happy Holidays to everone God bless us all
Wow! I am very impressed by the bride! Kudos to her! I am a black woman engaged to a white man we will soon be married. I would hate for anyone to judge him in any way! Love is colorless! Haters will rot in hell! This bride danced beautifully and l hope their marriage lasts forever!!
And the issue is…? ???
Big deal a white women dancing at a Basic wedding. What is the big deal? Whoopie doo now if she finds a cure for cancer make a big deal about that.
I was not impressed by her moves at all! I have seen better dancers from different backgrounds. But why are we so quick to be in “awe” when a white person does what a black person has been doing for centuries??? What is this acclamation we obide by, when it comes to them? Get out of your “uncle Tom” sleeping state of mind. Love yourself first before adoring others. Smh..
She’s dancing at a wedding and just having fun, not a a dance contest. Stop being such a negative Nancy.
Well… I absolutely love your positivity about this issue. You have gained a follower. Too bad the previous reader could not be as open minded as you but I applaud you for staying positive and standing your ground!!!
I love the video, the dancing is all fun and they are having fun. Blessing to them on this special day! To all the haters, get over it! Why can’t she share in his traditional dance style. She married into it. What was his,now becomes there’s.
That girl can dance!!!…I love to see people of other races genuinely embrace black culture. She did her man proud, the smile on his face said it all…some people need to get a life and stop making themselves unhappy worring about others. The newly wed couple seemed very much in love. I hope that they have lots of beautiful babies that grow up to love their mixed heritage…#thatslifeliveandletlive
This is a beautiful couple. There is a large difference between cultural appropriation and cultural appreciation. This is appreciating my culture. I loved it. For the article to even form the question as “is this a basic Becky” angers me. They want to keep us hating each other. Don’t fall for it. Great video.
Has anyone looked up the young lady? Not that it should matter because it was a well done beautiful moment but also not anything extremely extraordinary. But the young lady lives in London which has a great amount of Africans….especially west Africans. Which shouldn’t be a surprised considering that the British colonists came to west African. Also the woman in the video is a dancer by trade teaching a wide range of dance including African. Don’t be surprised that white people are dancing to African music. I know whites who speak Yoruba, Igbo, etc and have heavier accents than myself. This could actually just be her norm.
I loved it from beginning to end! They are BEAUTIFUL together! She did the darn thing!
I loved it girl got moves..why people got to be so negative? Isn’t this the world we want where everyone gets along no matter color of your skin. People whatcha want? But the video was great and there dances were great!!!
Honey ? Dance way / don’t pay no mind to the haters, jealous, miserable, and petty people. Live your life
Girl who the fuck cares what they think. You know people are quick to call white people racist but really need to take a look in the mirror. Every other video of people dancing at weddings goes viral. Shoot I applaud this Becky for wanting to learn the dance.
I think most of the upset stems from the fact that she’s white. Plain and simple. While I admit I feel a certain way sometimes when I see couples like this, I realize it won’t stop and the world will keep on turning.
Did I feel a way in this post Trump world? Yes. Did I think it was cute? Yes. But it’s their life. I absolutely refuse to be butt hurt about anything in the media. It’s your right to post and their right to unfollow. I love your blog and here for it. So keep it pushing!!!
Lol she killed it. She danced so beautiful. Love her moves. Dance better than a lot of people I know. Who cares about the skin color. It shouldn’t not t even been questioned neither. When will this stop. Hoping for the day that everyone mind their own business and live a life.
I am Nigerian-American, and was not offended by this wedding at all. Idk why Black people are becoming so racist.
This is total nonsense, all I see is a loving couple having a great time among their family and friends, If they were dancing to a David Bowie song would people be asking why the black man is dancing to white music???
Brilliant. She’s embraced her husband, his family and of course his culture which celebrated in a shared experience. No difference with non-westerners embraces western culture unless you’re a violent political and religious intent. This is how love should be – no biases and no prejudices. One love!
Brilliant. She’s embraced her husband, his family and of course his culture which is celebrated in a shared experience. No difference with non-westerners embraces western culture unless you’re a violent political and religious intent. This is how love should be – no biases and no prejudices. One love!
I enjoyed watching them dance!
She did that! They are married. They had fun. They are happy and that’s what matters.
Let folks be mad. If it’s not one thing they’ll be mad at, it will be another. And there’s nothing that can be done about it.
Great post, Lisa!
Perhaps, she is of white African descent and has the rhythm! To assume that all Africans are black is ridiculous! Or perhaps, she is just someone passionate about culture and learned something new!
To everyone who is upset, Y’all are ridiculous. It was a dance. Wow! Calm down, your ignorance is showing. SMH
I second that. She is dancing with HER HUSBAND at HER WEDDING RECEPTION! Why is this such a big deal? Does media & social media overpraise whites for what minorities do as a norm? Absolutely! But if we always look at everything with a microscope searching for something wrong & offensive, that’s exactly what we will find. Its very difficult to tell White America to accept us no matter the color, when some of us are juat as close-minded.
I’m disappointed this is even a topic.
I absolutely love this. She looked like she really had fun there. I see no reason to be upset. She is enjoying something her husband must have introduced to her, be happy she’s embracing our black culture! Come on people!!
Why is it that culture appreciation is taken for culture appropriation? Rappers in the 90’s did the whole mafia thing. I see Asian, Latin, etc. Cultures in music all across the board. We all should be celebrating different cultures. Nobody will tell me what type of music I can dance to, and I’m anything but a basic Becky. I love living in a world that is multicultural and interesting. Anyone that was upset about this video better not wear green on St. Patrick’s day, or celebrate Cinco De Mayo or their majorly hypocritical.
I found it beautiful that she was doing something with her new husband, that they were sharing a dance on their special day and most importantly having fun. It would be a totally different story if she were goofing off while doing it and being obscene. Then there would be a reason to get angry. But nothing of the sort happened. To share in someone else’s culture with them and to bridge that gap, to come to appreciate the beauty and complexity of someone’s heritage through dance and song is an incredible experience. Even more so if that person is the one you love and will spend the rest of your life with. There was nothing wrong with what she did. It’s really sad that people were being so negative and hateful about something so pure and whole hearted. Sadly, not much has changed since this video was made. If anything, people have gotten worse in the last 3 years with their hatred and division and “us vs. them” attitude.