Never underestimate the ability of people sitting around on vacation to get some footage for those of us stuck working to enjoy. The latest viral video from the shore involves beach umbrellas moving with reckless abandon as a thunderstorm appears to set to descend on an Ocean City beach. If it weren’t so terrifying to imagine being caught in the middle of, the video would be kind of beautiful.
In the single umbrella twisting in the wind that opens the video and the seemingly choreographed moments that unfold when the others join in, there are definite elements of modern ballet. It’s as if Christo and Jean-Claude decided to move into dance, but couldn’t find the music. But we want no part of the militaristic march down the beach that follows. As poor beach workers who probably thought they wouldn’t have to do much on their summer job give chase, we come back to Earth and realize that these blue legions could do some damage to unsuspecting beachgoers. If only the umbrellas would come back to Earth, as well.
