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Slam dancing is an art. A mosh pit is a collection of artists who practice the art of slam dancing. There are mediocre artists and there are artists who transcend boundaries of artistic standards. In the pit there are just as many Paula Abduls and Madonnas as there are Fred Astaires and James Browns. In order to exceed mediocrity in the mosh pit, you must understand the basics of slam dancing. None of this, however, is obvious to the untrained eye. To look upon the mosh pit for the first time is an affront to the senses for the mosh pit is unlike anything else in nature. Without any regard for the music, a large crowd shifts and swirls in front of a stage. Bodies move to and fro amidst random acts of self-sacrifice and enigmatic grace.

Physical contact is a necessary ingredient for the mosh pit. Therefore the best approach is to remember to stay relaxed. Ideally, the point of impact is supposed to be gentle and friendly but at the same time adrenaline is adrenaline and a groove is a groove, so either catch the flow or...consider other options. If you don't like physical contact, stand on the edge of the pit and help keep out of control moshers from flying out of the circle. It is understood that when people fall down, you must try to pick them up. Fallen moshers might get trampled and cause others to trip and fall. It benefits the general well-being of everyone to rush to the aid of people who have fallen and can't get up.

The techniques of slam dancing vary depending upon the type of show you are at. When you see a punk band, you slam. Punks created slam dancing. What they had in mind was making sure that they could release some aggression and enjoy their music without being mistaken for the type of dorks that go to Billy Idol concerts. The verb to slam dance comes from the Latin word slamdancus, meaning fuck it, don't worry about anybody else, just dance. The objective of slam dancing is to dance, make physical contact, and bounce off of other people without hurting anyone. The objective of the mosh pit is to create an atmosphere which fosters unrestricted self-expression and interaction with live music.

At skaterock shows, you thrash. Skaters and snowboarders have always pushed the artistic limits of moshing. Skaterock encompasses everything from hardcore punk and ska to funk and hip-hop, so the rhythm and the tempo constantly change. Compared to the average person in the pit (with the exception of bike messengers) skaters and snowboarders flexibility, coordination, and conditioning on their side. Their inclination towards acrobatics and being airborne on the street, on vert, or on snow-covered slopes carries over to the pit. Thrashing is a faster more aggressive version of slam dancing which emphasizes creative airborne techniques. In order to witness true thrashing, check out Fishbone or The Mighty Mighty Bosstones. If you think you might be afraid, check out some old Flipside videos that have clips of Minor Threat, Black Flag, Suicidal Tendencies, and the old Red Hot Chili Peppers in concert.

At a ska show you skank. The Ska/Rock Steady beat is the predecessor to the Reggae one-drop. Although the modern ska beat moves faster than the reggae, the Oi/one-drop melody magically consumes people and makes them skank. Skanking is like jogging in place with a few adjustments. In order to skank, bend low to the ground. One arm comes up across the chest in an exaggerated jogging motion and the opposite knee comes up and hits the elbow. Skanking is not really a jog but more of a skip in time with the beat. If you have trouble learning how to skank, go find some skinheads and take them bowling. Oi, Oi, Oi!

Motorhead, Megadeth, Slayer, and Metallica during the Ride The Lightning/ Kill em' All days are the bands responsible for initiating the short-lived speed-metal era of the late 80's. Back then, metal was all about adrenaline, so it was played fast. But no music in the world could be played fast enough to keep the headbangers from nodding their heads and throwing their hair to the beat while they slammed. This version of slamming was called moshing. The reason that moshing has become the pseudonym for slam dancing is that Metallica was the only good band to survive the transitional period which replaced authentic forms of punk, thrash, and speedmetal with alternative buzzkill music.