You know a celebrity is a good role model when they inspire someone to do something great. In the case of South Korean superstars BTS, when they released their latest single “Permission to Dance,” they inspired an artist from the Philippines to create a unique work of art.
Mary Mae Dacanay, from Biñan—a city located in the Philippine province of Laguna—made these pieces using a box cutter and coconut leaves. She posted the photos on social media and attracted the attention of a local newspaper called the Philippine STAR, which ran a short feature on her.
Ms. Dacanay turned to leaf art after losing her job in a factory last year due to the fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic. At first she wanted to paint on canvas, but she had a tough time sourcing the materials. So she decided to experiment on the leaves of jack fruit trees, which are quite abundant in her area. She has since made pieces featuring famous people like Oprah Winfrey, which she sold to pay her bills.
In an online interview, she told the STAR that it took her an entire day to finish the portrait of RM, Jin, SUGA, j-hope, Jimin, V, and Jungkook. She added that it’s her biggest piece to date, and she wouldn’t have done it if she hadn’t stumbled across a certain YouTube video about the boys and their latest single.
“Aside from the fact that Ed Sheeran wrote the song, the video said the members’ hand gestures in the music video were based on sign language. I was inspired to dedicate a leaf art piece to them because they support minorities,” Ms. Dacanay said in Filipino.
In a recent interview with American media outlet Entertainment Weekly, BTS discussed the choreography for “Permission to Dance”—which their label confirmed incorporates international sign language.
Their original plan was to use the Korean sign language words for dance, fun, and peace, but they switched to international sign language so their global audience would also be able to connect to their message.
“We decided to change it so the whole world can dance to it,” says SUGA. “I think that makes it all the more meaningful.”
The official music video for “Permission to Dance” (which has since been viewed over 148 million times) features the septet dancing in and around a colorfully decorated laundromat in the middle of a desert.
Near the end of the video, they invite their staff—rumor has it that the boys’ bodyguards, choreographer, and label executives Bang Si-hyuk and Park Ji-won also joined them—to dance along, driving home the message of their new song: Everyone, regardless of what they do, where they’re from, or who they are, is equal.
Watch BTS react to the "Permission to Dance" music video below.
Three cheers for BTS and their message of equality. May they continue to inspire more people to make good use of their talents!
