This article was written by The Zillennial Zine’s spring editorial intern Maya Stokley. Find her on Instagram at @maya.aesthetic. If you would like to share an article with The Zillennial, send us an email at thezillennialzine@gmail.com.
“It’s getting sticky!” Soon after Tyler the Creator released his latest album, “Chromakopia,” TikTok ran with his lead single, “Sticky,” and became a viral sensation. Choreographers like Alexander Chung have made several versions of the dance! But only one stood out the most! Dylansmovin’s dance gained significant attention with over 36 million likes and over 600 thousand saves on TikTok! With krump and hip-hop elements, it is safe to say that TikTok dances are becoming more intermediate as more artists release “TikTok songs” to appeal to the market. So, are TikTok dances of the same quality as before? Let’s start from the beginning!
Renegade: The TikTok Dance That Started It All
Before the pandemic started, TikTok rose with its dance trends! The one song that set the trend was (Lottery) Renegade by K Camp in 2019. Jalaiah Harmon, a TikTok dancer, choreographed the viral dance trend in late 2019, and it became a viral trend at the beginning of 2020. TikTok stars like Addison Rae and Charli D’Amelio danced to Harmon’s choreography, propelling their stardom further by adding more followers.
Harmon’s dance is considered one of the most complex TikTok dances to date by avid users. Because the TikTok video aspect ratio is 9:16, Harmon only dances with your arms at a fast pace. Her musicality is based on the backbeat and in the pocket of the song. (The “pocket” in dance means hitting different song layers: vocals, bass, and snares.) Also, the dance starts right away since the song begins with the booming bass. And yes, you start with the Woah!
NO IDEA: The Next TikTok Dance Sensation
After the Renegade became a massive hit, TikTok users started creating their own TikTok dance challenges to popular music. For example, Don Toliver’s music started many dance trends, such as “NO IDEA.” Again, the dance is arm-focused, with a few body rolls here and there. The sensual song is nostalgic, and the choreography is easy to follow! The dance starts with dramatic head tilts to match the snares of the song, and it follows with body rolls. Then, it ends with snapping with chest circles. It became one of the easiest dances to follow! The song became popular in 2020, 2021, and 2022 with different versions of the dance. It is safe to say that this song has become a TikTok classic!
SUGAR: This One Is Coming Right Up
Another TikTok dance classic is SUGAR by BROCKHAMPTON! The song’s vibes are similar to NO IDEA by Don Toliver, but it is the sweet and calm version. This choreography is simple, with arm-focused choreography. Also, this song helped launch lip-syncing to songs while dancing on the app. Here is a quick dance tutorial! You roll your arms up, snap forward, raise your arms above your head, and hit an arm wave. Honestly, up to there, you have the rest down! The SUGAR dance doesn’t have a sole creator. However, more male TikTok users jumped on the trend, like Noah Beck, which helped them become famous. Check out the dance below! (Watch former TikTok royalty do the trend!)
Now, What Do TikTok Dances Look Like Today?
The music industry quickly realized how the popularity of TikTok could help with streaming revenue and promote their artists in record time. For artists, they have to drop a 1-2 minute song and post a dance challenge to it. However, this formula became old very quickly when TikTok users realized what the music industry was doing with creativity! So, TikTok users took the dance trends back into their wheelhouse by choreographing their dance challenges to see which would be popular. For example, Tracy Joseph, a TikTok star, created popular TikTok dances to Doja Cat’s discography in 2021. From “Woman” to “Need to Know,” her creative moves engaged users to listen to Doja Cat’s album at the time, “Planet Her.” Tracy Joseph’s dances included more hip and torso moves to contrast with the arm-focused dances in 2020. Watch one of her dances below!
In 2020, professional dancers started to showcase their talent on the app in record numbers. TikTok didn’t just dominate the music industry, people! Because of the pandemic, dancers wanted to use their abilities to build their online presence and regain their footing in creative spaces. Dancers began to create their dance challenges with more intermediate moves that they learned from hip-hop, house, step, contemporary, and more. For example, WAP by Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion has a dance challenge that differs from the previously mentioned. Choreographer Brian Esperon is known for replicating dances from movies and shows in his living room. However, he created the WAP dance challenge, and it helped him become a popular dancer on the app. The full-body dance requires strength and flexibility because of his background in Western classical dances: ballet, contemporary, and jazz. I don’t know about you all, but this challenge made everyone more flexible!
With Esperon’s influence, the TikTok dances are more advanced than in 2019. With the globalization of K-pop, K-pop songs are now the new TikTok dance trends! For example, Ateez dropped their single, WORK, and it became a trend when a few women made a group dance challenge. The dance starts with one person at the head of the line. Then, the first person starts the dance move, and the rest follow. It became a hit when K-pop stars began to dance to the song on their official TikTok accounts! Check out the video below!
TikTok dances have evolved since 2019 and are only improving here! With more TikTok users using their creativity and choreographers stepping into the scene, TikTok is becoming a bigger dance hub for everyone to enjoy!
Here’s A List Of New TikTok Dances To Learn!
Like JENNIE – JENNIE
Whip It Dance Challenge
Todd Williamson Dance Challenge
Wangbamba Dance Challenge
Which TikTok dance do you love? Share in the comments!
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