Stealth disco

Stealth disco (or SD) refers to the act of being videotaped dancing or rocking out behind or near someone who is doing something serious and does not notice. This is sometimes referred to as stealthing (or SD-ing) that person, a process which often concludes with emailing them the footage. The term, if not the activity, was invented by employees at Chicago advertising agency Cramer-Krasselt, circa 2003.

Stealth disco is an example of an Internet phenomenon.

History

The original stealth disco page¹ has been taken down since its creation, but as of 2005, the original video (and many that followed) can still be found online.² Stealth disco, particularly the subgenre which involves posting the resulting videos online, has been promoted since its inception by enthusiastic bloggers and other web surfers.

Creating and sharing these videos began as a form of humour and a way to lighten up an office. It usually connotes a sense of bonding between stealther and stealthee. From the original Stealth Disco site:

Working in advertising means plenty of long hours so you've got to find ways to have a little fun while you're here. A sort of point of initiation to the agency, you know you've been accepted once you've been "stealthed."

However, stealthing is occasionally a means of covert revenge and provocation. The younger age-bracket of stealthers' primary targets are usually universally known childhood enemies: teachers, losers, peers outside of the stealthers' clique. In these cases, stealthing is certainly not friendly initiation, but cruel fun at the expense of the stealthee.

The Subtle Art of Stealth Disco

Stealth Disco comes in a wide variety of styles. Different styles can be combined by the stealther to achieve the desired effect against the stealthee. The amount of time that takes place between the moment stealthing begins, and when the stealther walks away laughing silently to himself, is also important: a 15 second SD is much funnier than one that only lasts 4. "Combos" are some of the funniest moments to come out of SD unintentionally. SD-ing someone who is already in the act of stealthing is very rewarding, and the footage is classic. Stealth Disco can be, at times, quite risky. The stealther runs the risk of being caught (which can ruin the whole performance), and, depending on the stealthee, getting into quite a bit of trouble. This is where the "stealth" in Stealth Disco is vital. Knowing when to sneak up on your intended target and knowing when to call it quits are very important. Only with experience, and a little bit of luck, can a stealther truly be worthy of the title.

References

Original web site, circa October 2003, courtesy of the Internet Archive
Original Stealth Disco video: Windows Media Player format, Quicktime format

External links

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