It’s been doing the rounds on social media since the weekend: a bizarre cover of Michael Sembello’s “Maniac” (from Flashdance) accompanied by a hyper-speed dance routine that’s fitting of the song title. If you’ve somehow managed to miss it over the last few days, get ready for the ride of your life.
For most normal people who look at the internet, this wildly dated clip is something to marvel at, then keep scrolling. But after I witnessed it for the first time, I was left with questions—so many questions. Who was that woman? What variety show was this? What (obviously European) country originally aired it? And do people’s legs still move that fast, or was it merely a side-effect of ’80s aerobics?