It seems there is a spark of revolution currently taking place in Iran and it is happening through the infectious enthusiasm and rhythm of dance.
From crowded Tehran streets to classrooms and supermarkets, Iranians are engaging in a viral dance craze as a means of protest against the strict and repressive government. The upbeat folk song accompanying the dance features a rhythmic chorus of ‘oh, oh, oh, oh’.
Mohammad Aghapour, known professionally as DJ Sonami, said, “It’s obvious that joining this dance trend sends a strong message. It’s a way of protesting and demanding our freedom and happiness.”
While dancing and singing in public may seem normal in most countries, it is a taboo in Iran, especially for women and mixed groups. Yet, the undeterred Iranians have continued their acts of civil disobedience, even in the face of arrests and police crackdowns.
The crackdown resulted in the arrest of several men and the removal of videos and accounts from social media platforms. But this did not discourage the citizens, instead, it fueled their outrage and the movement continued to grow.
Despite government efforts to quell the movement, the wave of dance protests has continued to spread nationwide, with more and more people joining in and sharing videos on social media platforms.
The dance protests became so contagious that even the Asia Football Confederation’s official page in Farsi with nearly 4 million followers posted a video compilation of some Iranian soccer stars and teams dancing and cheering to the song.
It is all thanks to an old man who inadvertently sparked a nationwide movement, that the dance protests are still alive and well, showing no signs of slowing down.
The voice of the Iranian people, quiet and muffled for too long, is now demanding to be heard through their collective act of defiance, spread by the infectious rhythm of dance. This is not just a whim; this is a fight for freedom and happiness.