10 Viral Dance Trends Black Culture Provided Long Before The TikTok Era

Let's pay homage to some of Black culture's OG dance challenges.

February 02, 2022 at 1:37 am

With popular dance trends like the #SavageChallenge, #SomethingNewChallenge, and #UpChallenge, TikTokers have graced the internet with an array of videos showcasing eye-catching choreography.

While TikTok may have made it easier for people to share and learn different routines, there are plenty of dances that made their way to mainstream recognition long before the app's debut in the U.S. Like many TikTok challenges, these dances are all associated with a particular song, and people jumped on the trend by sharing YouTube videos and busting out their moves at social events.

Here are some widespread dance trends that Black culture gifted the world before the rise of TikTok. Specifically, these dances debuted after 2000, and many of them should be somewhat recognizable by Gen Zers.

Cupid Shuffle

Many will remember this dance and eponymous song as classic fixtures at school events, and the easy-to-learn moves being embedded in the lyrics make it a pretty simple routine. As with the earlier Cha Cha Slide, all anyone has to do is simply follow the lyrics' instructions to get their groove on.

The Cupid Shuffle debuted back in 2007, and it's definitely still going strong at light-hearted dance functions to this day. It's nothing too crazy, but it's nonetheless a fairly iconic and recent routine.

Wop

While this dance has multiple variations, J. Dash brought the overall trend to mainstream prominence when he dropped "Wop" back in 2011. The moves are less cut-and-dry for the Wop as opposed to the Cupid Shuffle, but it's essentially just swaying your body accompanied by footwork and eye-grabbing hand motions.

Let's make sure not to forget about the Wop, especially when it's recently been overpowered by its homophone, "WAP."

Gas Pedal

Sage the Gemini brought the Gas Pedal to prominence when he released the namesake track back in 2013. As the name suggests, this dance is about simulating pressing a car's gas pedal, and dancers can do this with slow footwork or rapid handwork.

"Ges Pedal" isn't necessarily a main fixture on the dance floor, though younger Millennials and older Gen Zers will likely recall seeing this dance at a high school party or two.

Chicken Noodle Soup

This routine debuted back in 2006, and it's all about quick footwork, dramatic handwork, and loose hips. It's a child-friendly and light-hearted—borderline humorous—song that still allows dancers of all skill sets to show what they've got, so this routine is definitely worth a shout out.

It's a fairly safe bet that this song played at some of your elementary or middle school dances, though it's not quite as mainstream as some of the other entries. However, the track was recently remixed by j-hope and Becky G, so it's hopefully given the dance more prominence among younger listeners.

Crank That

When Soulja Boy made his mainstream debut with "Crank That" in 2007, he was an instant hit on the dance floor. The music video instructs viewers on how to perform the Crank That, which involves some side-leans, wristwork, and dramatic lunges.

While Soulja Boy's mainly known for his non-musical antics nowadays, we have to recognize the iconic trend he started with this hit song and dance.

K-Wang

Khia may be most well-known for "My Neck, My Back," but she also had another dance track that was fairly successful: "The K-Wang."

The accompanying dance isn't super structured, as the lyrics simply instruct listeners to move their shoulders and "step from the front then to the back." However, judging from YouTube uploads, the K-Wang is often performed a fun line dance that people can essentially make their own.

Pop Lock & Drop It

This dance is all about sharply swaying your hips and dropping it low, and the eponymous song is very catchy is its own right as well. The moves to this routine are pretty straightforward, though viewers can see demonstrations in the track's video.

People would probably be more inclined to twerk rather than Pop Lock & Drop It nowadays, though it's still fun to look back on this 2006 routine.

From the Window to the Wall

While it could be seen as a stretch to call this a dance trend, it's nonetheless a gesture that's meant to accompany a song, so it technically works. When Lil Jon & The East Side Boyz gifted us "Get Low" back in 2002, there was a built-in move to go along with part of this party anthem.

When partygoers hear "From the window to the wall" in the song, they'll essentially follow the instructions by pointing side-to-side—i.e., pointing from the window to the wall. It's a pretty self-explanatory and well-known move, though it's definitely not the most awe-inducing choreography.

Jerking

What would this list be without at least mentioning the jerking sensation of the late 2000s and early 2010s? When New Boyz dropped "You're a Jerk" in 2009, followed by Audio Push's "Teach Me How To Jerk" that same year, a trend was born.

Jerking was the fad of basically skipping backwards (with style, of course)—often in skinny jeans and high-top shoes, per the fashion of the time. It's a well-known and beloved dance that sometimes briefly resurges among partygoers.

The Dougie

Similar to jerking, the Dougie was a major hit that was popularized by a song in the early 2010s. Specifically, Cali Swag District unveiled "Teach Me How To Dougie" in 2011, and the music video showed viewers exactly how to perform the hip dance.

It's all about the shoulders and arms with this routine, though it's a dance that's less about sticking to a particular routine as it is about simply grooving with the song's beat.

Can you think of any other iconic dances that we forgot to mention?

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