Thom Yorke Dance Guide

The latest Radiohead video – Lotus Flower – has raised a lot of discussion all over the internet. People are not sure what to make out of Thom’s weird dance. We have even seen the first attempts to mimic Thom’s moves but to be honest we were not impressed.

Well, here is your second chance. We present you a complete Thom Yorke Dance Guide which you can use to master some of the key figures in Thom’s dance. We hope you’ll enjoy it. Don’t forget to report back preferably with your own dance videos. The best ones will be put up for a public vote. The winner gets a surprise prize!

Thom Yorke Dance Guide

Figure 1: Voilà!
Opening of the dance with a very expressive and vivid pose. To get this right close your eyes, raise your left hand above the hat, pull your chin against your chest and slowly start leaning backwards. When the second beat starts open your eyes, look straight ahead and gently touch the tip of your hat.

Figure 2: Moonwalk
Only a few hours after the Lotus Flower video had been released Thom Yorke was accused of copying the Michael Jackson’s moonwalk. There are indeed some common features but notice the position of the right hand in Thom’s version. It’s actually a palm up, a very difficult technique to master without getting injured. However this is one of the key details a lot of people miss. Give it a time, the practice makes perfect.

Figure 3: Trickster
This figure is a reference to one of the unreleased songs from The Bends era. If you go through the OK Computer, Kid A and Amnesiac lyrics you’ll find a lot of references to The Trickster. According to our sources Thom had always wanted to release this song but the rest of the band has not been so fond of this idea. We guess this is his way to get it out there.

Figure 4: Red Scarf
Free your body off the tension from the previous moves. You are slowly turning into a red scarf used to tantalise wild bulls in Pamplona.

Figure 5: Out Of Money
Clear reference to the post In Rainbows era. The pay-what-you-want model didn’t bring in as much cash as expected so Thom had to cut down on some expenses such as private jet. This is actually quite easy figure to master but remember – the timing here is crucial. When the part “I will sneak myself into your pocket” comes put your hands in your pockets. There is a much more  meaning behind this gesture than the financial problems but we won’t go into details in this guide. Just put your hands into your pockets on time and you’ll be fine.

Figure 6: Karateka
If you are Thom’s generation you’ll know that one of the most popular games in 1980′s was Karateka. It was indeed one of Thom’s favourite too. This karate gesture symbolizes the tension between Thom and media especially during the OK Computer era.

Figure 7: Lotus Flower
This is the climax of the whole dance and the most important part. Hold your hands together in front of your face and slowly unfold as you raise them up above your head. This symbolizes a new beginning, a new hope – the Lotus Flower unfolding.

Figure 8: Oak Nut
Even a thousand year old King Of Limbs was once just a little nut. This is all about humbleness in front of the nature. Respect it or die. It also symbolizes the green way of living which Radiohead promote whenever they get a chance.

Figure 9: Worshipper
This one is very personal to Thom so we won’t go into details. Just hold your hands together, close your eyes and gently bend your knees as you were going to knee down.

Figure 10: Groupie
Where would Radiohead be without their goupies? This last figure is an honour to the fans all around the world. Thom here completely frees his body and mind and finishes the dance by giving thanks to all the Radiohead fans who pre-ordered The King Of Limbs.

Well, there you have it. Hopefully the dance now makes much more sense to you. As we already mentioned, don’t forget to report back on your progress, preferably with your own dance video. We have a surprise prize for the best ones.