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This article is about the type of dance. For Eminem's song and music video see Mosh (song)
Moshing also known as slam dancing is a type of dance which involves jumping around or pushing others to loud heavy metal or punk music. It is very popular amongst young rock and metal fans, especially heavy and nu metal fans.
Most participants consider it fun, but it can be dangerous to people in and around the "mosh pit", and has resulted in serious injuries and hospitalisation.
Slamdancing is a closely related form of dancing characterized by its aggressive nature: the movements consist of slamming into each other, swinging of arms and legs, jumping, all which is done in a staccato fashion to the beat of live music. Slamdancing consists of either throwing your body into another person, or giving another person a gentle but firm shove to the beat of the music.
Critics have charged slamdancing with inciting or condoning violence, but supporters argue slamdancing established friendship and comraderie. Most critics who say that people have died or have gotten seriously injured in a mosh pit are actually talking about crowd surfing or stage diving, not moshing. Moshing is a completely different activity, an activity which the media attributes to death and destruction. In reality, moshing is quite a safe activity, although it seems incredibly dangerous. (see roller coaster)
The term "Mosh" has often been attributed to Vinnie Stigma of the hardcore group Agnostic Front as an acronym for "March Of Skin Heads", but most authorities cite Darryl Jennifer, bass guitarist for Bad Brains as the term's originator: a Jamaican-accented pronunciation of the word "mash" in "Mash down Babylon."
Moshing means different things within different genres of music. Moshing at hardcore punk performances is frequently very different from moshing at grunge or metal performances. Normally, moshing at a hardcore show will be much faster and more choreogaraphed. Any form of "moshing" to hardcore music can fall under different titles. Some may call it "hardcore dancing", some call it "throwdown", some "mashing" [a bit of a joke towards true hardcore dance fans] and most simply, "moshing". Certain maneuvers are normally used during certain parts of the music (for example the 'two-step' for floor-tom breakdowns.) Hardcore can also include people windmilling (rotating their arms aound in wide circles, often in time to the music) forms of heavy-style breakdancing and solitary martial arts manouevers. These are often frowned upon by others in the pit though, especially if attempted at non-hardcore concerts. A form of hardcore dancing that gets the whole group involved is called the "circle pit" in which people collectively, in the same direction, skank at running speed in a circular motion on the periphery of the pit. The mosh pit at a metal show is normally much larger, as metal acts tend to gain a lot more attention than hardcore acts. Ska music, or ska-core as it is sometimes called invites a type of slam dancing known as the skank. The more obscure Grindcore also has its own style of dancing, referred to often as the grind, which resembles a blend of skanking and more regimented moshing, looking rather drunken in execution.
Originally, there were different types of "slam dancing." One type was the slam dance itself, which is now referred to as moshing. However, there was also the "pogo", where dancers jumped up and down, as if on a pogo stick, and sometimes bumped into each other.
Moshing tips
Moshing in all of its forms is dangerous, sweaty and incredibly fun. Thus, you'll need to be properly equipped for such an adventure.
Clothing
The only real way to survive in a mosh pit for any given amount of time is to either wear a band shirt, fishnet, or no shirt at all. This will allow your skin to breathe and perspirate accordingly.
If you plan to mosh you should only wear what you don't mind getting wrecked. That being said, band shirts are probably your best bet. They're tough, big, and not too thick (so as you don't get too hot).
Sobriety and Hydration
A really bad idea, is to go into a mosh pit drunk. You fall over a lot, and if there are jerks in the pit you're pretty much done for. If you're gonna mosh, don't down 5 shots of Scotch beforehand. Instead, a good idea is to go for some water..
Water is the preferred drink of the mosh pit. Drink a lot of it, you'll definitely need it. There's no worse feeling then being in a crowd of people when you're dehydrated. Your concentration suffers, you become dizzy, and it's much harder to slamdance.
A good idea is to "prehydrate", or drink a bottle or two of water before the show starts. This allows you to last longer in the pit without having to escape for a bottle of water mid-show. It's possible to last an entire hour-long set if you prehydrate and then rehydrate later on. Moshers have been known to go two or three sets without water if they prehydrate as well.
Caffeine
Drinking soda, iced tea, Red Bull (or any other guarana-based drink), is a good idea mid-show. Don't drink too much, however, it's a waste of money. At most shows, you can get 2 bottles of water for every 1 can of Red Bull. It's much more cost-effective to buy 1 or 2 Red Bulls a show, and about 4 to 6 water bottles.
Rules of Moshing
There are a generally unwritten but almost universally respected set of rules that accompany moshing. They are:
1: If someone falls over, break your Mosh and help them up immediately.
2: Remove any spike bands, joint rings etc. you are wearing before entering the pit.
3: No groping or sexual assault in the pit (Moshing is by no means a male-only activity).
4: Most people also regard direct kicking and punching to be a breach of Pit Etiquette, preferring shoving or pushing with the forearms or elbows. This is often disregarded at hardcore concerts however.
See also: headbanging, stage diving, crowd surfing, air guitar, list of dances
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