When the Houston Astros mascot Orbit began his mid-game dance routine to “Moves Like Jagger,” in 2017, nobody could have predicted the impromptu extravaganza that was about to occur. Orbit was on the verge of engaging a security officer who stood as firm as the Queen’s Guard, before the black-clad professional burst into his own epic, explosive routine.
Flabbergasting the audience on the Jumbotron, the security guard busted shameless moves with unpredictable star power, wild, ridiculous and spurring the audience to roar like they were watching The Beatles. His finishing move — a full body flop to the floor into the best worm dance you’ll ever see — crowned his spontaneous set, making it one of the most viral moments of the 2017 ALCS. It has since gained over 17 million views on YouTube.
But this enigmatic performance wasn’t the first time the sports grounds of Houston, Texas had been stunned by a one-man flash mobbing security guard. A nearly identical viral video from 2014, featuring the legendary dancing security guard, Willis Harris, captured the original show which started this odd US phenomena.
Willis Clinton Harris is a freelance security officer with a world-class talent for wacky, viral dance moves including cartwheels and splits with a campy edge. His original breakdancing security guard video, entitled “Work It Willis,” has amassed 99 million YouTube views in just under 10 years, bestowing upon the security guard iconic status as a meme lord.
Willis Harris has made a bit of a habit of his trick, going viral with his dance moves at the Tampa Bay Rays game, among many other sports events. In 2017, after another anonymous security guard danced with near-identical spontaneity with the Houston Astros’ mascot Orbit (three years after Harris’ original Orbit dance-off), speculation was rife that these iconic viral videos had actually been staged all along. Harris stirred even greater speculation when he mentioned to Fox that he and Orbit were “good friends,” adding: “I’m not going to give away the secret sauce completely. It wasn’t completely planned, but we knew that we were going to be in each other’s vicinity, I’ll say that.”
His interview with Fox proves Harris’ motivations were pure, despite how impromptu his act may or may not have been: “My passion has always been entertainment. The job security: that’s number one, but number two, is definitely entertaining the crowd. So anytime that we can put smiles on people’s faces and make ourselves look a little less serious than we actually are, is a great time.”
No matter what the truth is behind Houston’s odd phenomenon of dancing security guards, these viral videos are still awesome and are destined to brighten any bleak day.
If you’ve enjoyed the incredible dancing security guard performances of Willis Harris, you can find more of his work on his YouTube channel and follow his daily updates on his Instagram page . His energetic routines have won the hearts of millions, bringing unexpected joy and laughter to many. Don’t miss out on his latest performances and updates!