This week’s Good News on The Current comes from a suggestion from a listener. Thank you Krista for this incredible idea. We are going to dive into the magic of the 2004 film, Napoleon Dynamite, and that iconic dance.  

Now if you’re not familiar, Napoleon Dynamite was an independent film that took pop culture by storm 20 years ago. The film is about an impressive but awkward teen living in a small town who is having trouble fitting in. Both his home life and his school life are not the best until he befriends the new kid, Pedro, and they decide to launch a campaign to run for class president. You could argue this film is also about the power of friendship and kindness. Now, if you’re hooked and you haven’t seen the film and want to watch it, this next part might be a spoiler for you.  

At the film's climax in a scene that is immortalized as one of the most iconic in cinema history is when that teen, Napoleon Dynamite, performs an exemplary dance in an effort to help his new friend Pedro get the votes he needs to become class president. The rather inanimate teen comes alive. And I am underselling how good this dance is.

This dance is what made the film, quite literally. Before this film was conceived, co-creators Jared and Jerusha Hess were working on a short with Jon Heder, the actor who would go on to play the title character in Napoleon Dynamite. At the end of filming this short called Peluca, the Hesses had a little extra tape, and they knew that Heder was a good dancer, so they asked him to just dance in the field and they’d film it. They turned on the radio, and the song we are about to play just happened to come on. Heder did his dance, and the two creators were instantly like, “We want to make a movie based around that thing.”  

And that thing is a dance from the heart that really did steal the hearts of the public back in 2004.  

If you want to dance along, even send a video of your best dance to this one. Or tag @thecurrent and maybe we’ll share it on The Current socials.  

So here it is, the thing that made Napoleon Dynamite, the story of friendship, kindness, and heart...and I encourage you to dance on this one. It’s Jamiroquai with "Canned Heat" on Good News on The Current. 

If you have a story to tell about music making a positive impact in the world, a moment or a memory associated with a song or an artist, or maybe sparked by something you hear here, share your good news at ajaffer@mpr.org.