How a Saudi viral video led me on a merry dance

Rym Ghazal wonders why silly videos on YouTube have more appeal than those with serious messages.

A screen grab from Barbs

In a region that is often dealing with some kind of conflict and turmoil, it is no wonder that people seek ways to escape from the harsh realities of life by doing what many of us love to do: dance.

A music video by a group of Saudi men has gone viral after just one month of it being posted on YouTube, with more than 9 million views. It has also inspired a rash of clips in which people imitate its dance moves.

Called Barbs, produced by 8ies Studios and created by Majed Al Esa, it has a catchy tone with a hip mix of Gulf and western beats and some fun steps. What went viral were the steps at 1:26, where the main dancer in red shoes says in Arabic: "Put your foot like this." He then instructs us to move the other foot, then necks and then there's a funny head-bobbing dance move that is being copied and posted on social media.

Barbs, or barbash, means to cause a mess or be untidy, and it has taken on a new slang meaning in this song. I have to admit at first I thought it a bit silly, but then I got into it and caught myself “barbsing”.

But there are some harsh comments on YouTube and elsewhere on social media from users who have called on authorities to arrest the performers for such “indecent” moves. Others were criticising the clip for copying the West and being a waste of time. Some added an Arabic hashtag that translates to “don’t make stupid people famous”.

Apparently it was this song that led to an arrest warrant being issued for two men who appeared in a video dancing while dressed in UAE military uniform.

According to a story in this newspaper, quoting the Abu Dhabi Public Prosecutor's office, the men are wearing military fatigues and "dance suggestively and in a manner unworthy of the uniform". The prosecutors said that the video represented "an affront to the honour of joining the National Service".

It is interesting that some people post video clips of things that they would never do in front of their friends or family, but it is somehow OK for everyone on the internet to see.

What makes some videos go viral and others not? We all know about the magical power of cute cats or other animals doing something funny or out of the ordinary. This is followed by babies and young children doing something funny – even better if they do it in the company of a pet. Then there are the controversial clips that provide room for discussion and debate.

Celebrities gets hits for their mere presence in a video, even if they are not doing much.

If, for example, there was a video featuring a cat doing the barbs dance along with the men, I imagine it would be an even bigger hit.

People are curious by nature, and they want to to see something extraordinary or different. But serious videos that highlight tragedies or shed light on realities don’t often reach so many eyes, because many internet users simply want to escape. They avoid things that make them feel guilty or stressed.

At the same time, though, there are those unique clips that hit home because they evoke emotions and they are relatable – like Save the Children's Most Shocking Second a Day video, about a young girl in Britain who is exposed to a life similar to a child in a war-torn country. It has had more than 52 million views.

There are many articles discussing what makes a video go viral, from how it has to be short – to suit the attention span of the Twitter generation – to how it must evoke a strong feeling, with humour being king. Being tied to current events or trends is also important, as is who and what it features.

An article published by the Harvard Business Review last year, citing data analysed by marketing technology company Unruly, reveals the two most powerful drivers of viral success: psychological response (how the content makes you feel) and social motivation (why you want to share it).

Seeking opinions from others (such as friends) who get the video and creating conversation-starters were found to be two of the biggest social motives for sharing.

But with all things that trend online, people will eventually lose interest. It will be interesting to see how long people will continue barbsing.

On Twitter: @Arabianmau