Enjoy this course and thousands of other programs with a Great Courses Plus membership
The Great Courses Plus is the premier service for people who love to learn. It gives you hundreds of great college-level courses from The Great Courses and series made for lifelong learners like you.
Enjoy Anywhere!
Already have an account?
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the meme peaked in popularity as a form of "gallows humor." It was used globally to encourage safety measures and became a symbol of resilience and levity during a difficult year. Today, it remains a staple of internet history, appearing in countless remixes, covers, and parodies .
The visual half of the meme features the from Prampram, Ghana. Led by Benjamin Aidoo, this professional troupe transforms funerals into celebrations by performing choreographed dances while carrying a casket . In Ghanaian culture, death is often viewed as a transition to a new life, and families hire these dancers to send off their loved ones in style, bringing joy to an otherwise somber event. The Viral Formula The meme typically follows a specific three-part structure: Astronomia Coffin Dance
The is a cultural phenomenon that blended a 2010 Russian electronic track with a Ghanaian funeral tradition to create the definitive viral meme of 2020 . The Musical Foundation During the COVID-19 pandemic, the meme peaked in
The pallbearers dance with the coffin, humorously implying the "demise" of the person in the first clip. Global Impact Led by Benjamin Aidoo, this professional troupe transforms
A video clip of someone engaging in a risky or ill-fated activity.
The anthem of the meme, was originally released in 2010 by Russian composer Tony Igy . It gained renewed life years later when Dutch electronic duo Vicetone remixed it, providing the high-energy, synth-heavy beat that would eventually sync perfectly with the dancing pallbearers . Cultural Origins: The Dancing Pallbearers
