PETER SHANKMAN
| POSTED ON June 23rd, 2008 | 62 COMMENTS | + ADD YOUR COMMENT |
When I saw Matt’s first video in 2006, I was so jealous… So so so jealous. But the more I thought about it, the more I realized that it wasn’t entirely jealousy – it was envy, but in a good way – in a “wow, that’s something else to add to my list” type of way. Which is a good kind of jealousy! It helps you grow as a person.
With his latest video, I still believe that. And I’m still a little bit jealous. but it’s very, very cool.
Congratulations, Matt. You’ve done it again. Bravo. When we emailed back and forth in ’06, you said you were going to do it again if you could find the sponsorship. Well, you stuck (no pun intended) to it. I’m proud of you. Well done.
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so… you’d think after all that time he’d actually have learned how to dance. ;) this was great. my favorites were the DMZ in Korea and the weightless space training in Nevada. thanks for posting this, pedro. dt |
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This is great. I had a smile on my face the whole time and laughed out loud when the wave came and crashed over him-guess he was ok?! Thanks for sharing this. |
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Watching this video makes me so happy that I want to cry, and I can’t even begin to articulate why that is. I love Matt. I so want his job! Thanks for passing this along. |
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Peter, good find! I actually found this myself last week by a random search on YouTube, and was amazed by the video. It’s one of those rare pieces of media that has no real value to it, except for the feeling it provides the person watching it. You walk away from it thinking, “If we can all get together and dance, why can’t we stop fighting with one another?” It’s really simple, but really quite beautiful. |
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This is so, so awesome! And I went straight past happy and on into sobbing. This is great! I love that little dance. Thanks, Peter! |
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Much like Lara I’m moved to tears and wonder why. I think it’s pure joy. This is the first time I’ve seen Matt and I love him! I want to be like Matt when I grow up!!!!! |
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I know I should be Matt. And Matt, you don’t want to be me (other than I have a wife I’m madly in love with and a 6 year old miracle of a son that I’d die for). I have to recreate my life after seeing this, the day after watching The Bucket List for the first time, and that an hour after coming home from three days on a wilderness river float with my high school buddies and loving every stinky minute of it. I’m 50 in October….Honey, sell the houses, the cars, the furniture, cash in the 401k, the annuities, the IRA. Let’s be like Matt. Close. So close. Thanks for the goose bumps. |
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Such a cool video… that dance is an inspiration! It goes to show that you just have to have a lot of enthusiasm. I love how everyone crowds around him and does their own thing. Amazing sights and such joy!! |
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Love it! My three kids said it was kinda like “Where’s Waldo” and decided to find Matt in each clip. Thanks so much for sharing! |
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You go Matt. You dream Matt. You dance Matt. You say “yes” to the world and it will lift you and all the rest of us to a higher place. Bravo Matt. And keep on stepping out into the world. |
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Too funny – I remember him from forever ago and this past weekend came across an old National Geographic Traveler (I’m really behind…) which gave him a plug. Checking out Matt was on my list of things to do today! Thanks for helping me cross it off my list! |
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Ah,my new dream is to dance around the world. Way to go Matt! Thanks Peter for sharing! I loved it! |
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This is what life is really all about! Loving, laughing and making memories! Thanks Matt and Peter. @Kenneth – funny my husband was just saying he wanted to return to Alaska…the simple life. :) |
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This reminds me of the Coke commercial – teaching the world how to sing, only better. |
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Gives all new meaning to “happy feet!” Yes, the exuberance made me smile, and dance around the home office. Party on, Matt! |
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Wow, moved to tears of pure joy. “Be like Matt” is my new mantra. |
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Sweet! May we all dance a joyful jig and think nice thoughts about all the people in the world (guess I’ll buy a pack of Stride gum!~) |
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I agree with Lara . . . I can’t help the tears flowing down my face as I see the power of connection through dance, and fun . . . this really says it: we are all the same! |
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Weeping, sobbing, melting in my chair. Wishing I had Matt’s life and hoping that someday I can see just a fraction of all that Matt has seen. Thanks to Peter Shankman for sharing this and making my day better. Gooooooo Matt! |
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Matt, you are totally awesome to have this idea and pursue it to the max. |
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This is proof. We’re all one. Gratitude. Thanks. And dance is the source of many good things. Have you ever tried to dance and remain angry? Just can’t. Happy feet, happy heart, and happy tears. Thanks. |
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Hey Peter, I watched the video through a Twitter link this morning… and it is amazing for at least two reasons: 1. Stride saw the foresight to jump on the opportunity to very cheaply do some branding that paid off big time for them. Nice work stride guys… 2. The video is so appealing because it tugs at everyone’s core desire to live life to the fullest NOW… while we can… rather than have to wait until we’re old to “retire”. It’s amazing how we all get so wrapped up in our “lives” that we don’t take time to really live. We work our brains out while we’re young so we can enjoy life when we’re old and retired… kind of crazy when you think about it. Great job Matt… and Peter… where were you when his original video hit Yutube? That would have been a big score if you woulda been able to put the pieces together for a sponsorship for one of your clients before Stride locked him up. Keep up the good work on HARO… and when are you coming out here to Portland?? Chat w/ you soon, – Trevor |
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Amazing how such a simple concept can make you stop and think about what you are doing and remind you of what you should be doing! Matt, thanks for the inspiration and Peter thanks for sharing! |
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SO much joy! In our heart of hearts is the joyous child, exuberant with life. Matt touches that child with his dance. Thank you Peter for sharing this with us. |
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agh, i’m smiling so much my cheeks are hurting! what an inspiration…we all dance together! |
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Thank you so much for sharing this with all of us, Peter! For a few minutes, all my cares just danced away, all around the world. Fantastic, and uplifting. |
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This video had me laughing out loud (in a public library!), then crying. It shows the beauty that is our world and human condition, but it also makes me sad that we don’t always get along this well. Damn it, everyone put down the guns and DANCE!!! |
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What is it about Matt’s videos that make me cry? I couldn’t tell you, but they are so inspiring and beautiful and HAPPY, I just can’t help it. Thanks for sharing! |
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I watched Matt – and the world – dance 3 times. Stopped to thank you for sharing this pure joy but now I’m going to forward this to all my friends and then watch it some more. Thanks! |
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I used to feel that only sports could bring the world together… now I see through Matt’s lens how dancing does as well. Thanks for sharing his story with us! |
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Wow. Oh, wow. Dancing and planting little seeds of goodness & life all across the globe. Never heard of Matt before, but thanks Peter, for tuning me onto him. Now, off to check out his website … |
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Wonderfully, if strangely uplifting. Thank you. |
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Wow! How moving! The only one he didn’t get on video was the one with the angels dancing after my friend came out of a successful cancer surgery today! Thank you so much for sharing this. We really are more alike than we are different, aren’t we? |
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How cool is that. I too am so jealous and hope to one day have something even remotely close to that experience. Way to go and here is to more happy dancing. Awesome, awesome, awesome. |
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BRAVO MATT! Thats the most beautiful thing I’ve seen in a long time. Thanks for posting that Peter. |
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This has really been a Monday and I needed the lift that this incredible clip gave me. And OMG! the DMZ? Wow, I AM impressed! Thank you for helping my day end better than it was! |
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Wow, just WOW. I swelled with pride to see the family land of Poland and my hometown of Vancouver, BC. I cried to see the African and Indian dancers in their garb. What an amazing experience for him, and I am so glad he’s done it again. I don’t know why, but it totally choked me up! |
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That was pure awesomeness! First thing to make me smile and cry simultaneously in I can’t believe how long. Inspirational stuff. Thanks Matt! |
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What a beautiful symbol of humanity around the world. Now where’s my kleenex?!!! |
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Well, I can’t say I wasn’t warned that I would cry (by my buddy LiRon – respondent #5 above), and she was right…they were happy tears! What a beautiful spectacle of humanity!! I’d love to be on his tech crew for the next round. |
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Very cool. Makes you realize our similarities around the world are more important that our differences. There is no “us” and “them.” We are all just people — crazy, whacky, fun people. |
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Now and then it’s good to pause in our pursuit of happiness and just be happy. ~Guilaume Apollinaire Thanks Peter for sharing and Matt for doing. |
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Peter, this video by Matt made my day and I forwarded to a bunch of friends and family to brighten theirs as well. Thanks for sharing Matt’s happy feet. |
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Spectacular, ingenious and ‘très sympa’, I think I missed to see Matt dancing in Dubai, right? |
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Matt – Thank you for showing me that it is ok to be a kid even after you shouldn’t be one! Freedom – what a wonderful thing! |
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aaah, so many favorite places featured and so many more more to visit… makes me think about how to make more time to explore our beautiful world! Thanks for sharing!! And, hi from Sweden :) |
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I just finished emailing one on your reporters re: ways to deal with depression at work, this looks like a great remedy! It truly made me happy and reminded me of how big the world is and how basicly connected we all are through joy, love and humanity. Mabye he should start a site: betterthanzoloft.com! Thanks for sharing it! GO MATT! |
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I loved this video. Watching this made me feel happy, which I haven’t felt since my dad died last month. |
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Total enjoyable! I leave for Israel tomorrow – I will be dancing and singing throughout the trip! Thanks for the inspiration Matt! With all the lemons in the world – Your lemonade hit the spot! |
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you never know when, or how people find their way to exactly where they’ll be when they inspire others. but you feel it when they do. and you’re never the same. |
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The world is an awful place… the world is a wonderful place… people are rotters, people are splendid. And then along comes Matt. He makes you think the latter on both counts is the truer statement. Plus, he’s a good dancer! Thank you Matt! |
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Thanks Peter! Somehow in this inspiring video I find myself connecting with the guy at the Eiffel Tower who wipes out as the crowd rushes in around Matt … |
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Thank you, thank you, thank you Matt for showing us that we really are all one. You get it and you were kind enough to share it with the rest of us! The moment I saw this video I immediately thought of all the people I in turn wanted to share it with. Fantastic scenery, moving music and humanity at its best…what more can you ask for? A grateful fan, |
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Matt.. You are amazing. You have a brass set on you and the tanacity and drive to reach for your dreams and make them happen. You have touched more than those that you encountered on your trip. You will have touched the hearts of millions, if not billions, by the time this ends. Hell it won’t end. You just taught everyone that being goofy is cool and you can do whatever you want in life…so try it. Oh yeah… you also reminded us all to LIVE!! |
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This is my first time on your blog, and you’ve knocked my socks off with this touching video. I love people who find a way to live out their dreams – that goes for you and Matt! |
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This video just reminds us of simple things that can connect people. This is pure joy. Pure joy. |
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Dont feel jealous, rather feel lucky poor guy!!! this is why…. http://www.collegehumor.com/video:1821531 See more funny videos at CollegeHumor |
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You can’t not smile the most sincere smile when watching this video…it’s like that saying “Dance as if no ones watching” – Matt is clearly doing that (ha!) but I think his point is, the whole world is dancing with you too. aww happy fourth of july! :) |
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