Staff and service users of RehabCare Portlaoise have become the latest to smash the Jerusalema Dance Challenge.
Aideen Phelan, programme facilitator in RehabCare Portlaoise day centre, explained that they decided to complete the dance in order to spread some happiness.
She said: “We, like many others, took on the Jerusalema dance to create joy and encourage being active.
“Our video features staff and people from the services and is filmed across the local community.
“We’d like to thank Chocolate Browns Portlaoise, MW Hire Group, and Laois GAA for their support.”
RehabCare Portlaoise provides a range of support services for people with disabilities, both adults and children, people with mental health difficulties and older people, which support them to
maximise their independence, their community presence and participation.
All across Ireland, RehabCare now offers anyone living with a disability or disadvantage – young and old alike – the personalised, individual support they need to live their lives as fully and independently as possible.
The challenge has really taken off in Laois with a nursing home, hospital, secondary school and retail outlet among those to have completed it.
The original video was first posted in South Africa last September, the song “Jerusalema” was released by South African musicians Master KG and Nomcebo Zikode in 2019, with much of the lyrics in Zulu.
The song has been streamed more than 60 million times on Spotify and has been named the world’s most popular track on Shazam.
It has also taken off on TikTok with many videos dedicated to it.
The global challenge began after Angolan dance troupe Fenómenos do Semba shot a video of themselves dancing to the song in February.
The video is set in a backyard in Luanda, where they break into a group dance, all the while eating lunch from plates in their hands.
Since then, the gospel-influenced house song and accompanying dance challenge has offered uplifting moments during the pandemic, not only in South Africa but worldwide too.
The dance has become a viral sensation performed at police stations, hospitals, restaurants and many public places across the world. Even priests, nuns and monks from Zimbabwe to Montreal have taken part.
You can check out the full video by clicking here.
