Alaska Airlines parodies this classic 80s' song in a new safety video

Alaska Airlines has released an all-singing-and-dancing video around COVID-19 safety, and its own employees are the stars of the entertaining production.

The video parodies the 1982 song, Safety Dance, by Men Without Hats. It was directed by Warren Fu, who is known for his work with artists such as Dua Lipa, The Weeknd, Daft Punk and HAIM, and choreographed by Anna Matuszewski, who is known for her work with Macklemore. It was filmed over two days at the airline's Boeing cabin trainer and the Alaska Maintenance Hangar in Seattle.

“From the director to the choreography, the cameras, the music, makeup and hair artists and so on it was like being on the set of a movie,” says Natalie, a Horizon Air flight attendant in Seattle. “Every day was filled with excitement and anticipation. It was very professional, well organized, and definitely on my top 10 things in life that I have been a part of.”

The theme of the video is that with safety protocols in place, including mandatory masks, enhanced cleaning between flights, HEPA air filtration and touch-free technology, the airline believes it’s safe to fly. Employees were chosen for the video in a variety of ways and were given videos of the choreography in advance and asked to practice at home. The day prior to filming, they completed a full eight-hour dress rehearsal during which they perfected the moves with the choreographer.

“It was refreshing to work on a project with some much-needed levity after such a challenging year," says Warren Fu. "You can highlight the importance of safety and still have fun with it. I hope the uplifting energy and enthusiasm showcased by our Alaska Airlines employee talent brings a smile to people’s faces.”

A behind-the-scenes look at the making of the Alaska Airlines ‘Safety Dance’ music video can be found on its blog here.

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