Jerkin': The Movie Capitalizes on Most Popular Dance of the Next 5 Minutes

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America is nothing without a biannual dance craze, and Hollywood is nothing without the imperative to commit that fad to film for all time (and hopefully a low- to mid-eight-figure gross). So get ready for Jerkin'! It's not what it sounds like, alas, but it is the hip new-ish thing that required some investigation this morning at Movieline HQ. A few key discoveries -- with video -- follow the jump.

According to a report in today's THR, the producers who brought you the urban indie Next Day Air have had their eyes on jerkin' for a while. The phenomenon began with a few crews in Los Angeles, but moreover, grew out of a "specific political ideology of providing a positive, anti-gang message in the inner city." Toss in some Day-Glo threads and more form-fitting attire than hip-hop's baggy couture. Then apparently combine the best parts of the Charleston, hip-hop, and some kind of gypsy-esque leap-prancing, and voila! You're jerkin'!

No cast has yet been announced, though you can probably expect to see a few of the dancers featured in the popular videos below make their Hollywood debut. Or, in the grand tradition of Step Up, casting agents are combing the elite, talent-rich male-stripper haunts of the South as we speak.

· Jerkin' dance craze headed to film [THR]



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