Top 10 Dance Crazes
#10 – Time Warp
Kicking off our list is a pelvic thrusting, hip swiveling good time. There’s a reason “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” has been in theaters since 1975. Take a cue from the transvestites, half-naked men and Dr. Frank-N-Furter himself and do the Time Warp. How? Just listen. Btw, thank you to the writers for clearly explaining the moves… Which is more than we can say about some dance songs…
#9 – The Loco-Motion
If your little baby sister can do it with ease, why can’t we? This song is so damn catchy, it made it to the U.S. top three three different times by three different artists. However, the song was written before the dance existed, so they scrambled for some moves to match. No wonder we’ve never been able to make sense of it. You gotta swing your hips now… Oh forget it.
#8 – Gangnam Style
Adding a new spin to “ride the pony,” long-established Korean star PSY dons crazy suits, grabs his sexy ladies (and guys) and goes nuts with his invisible horse dance. This became the most liked video on YouTube ever, and PSY rode the fame train – sorry horse – all the way to shows like “Ellen” and “Saturday Night Live.” We don’t know what he’s saying and we do not care.
#7 – Macarena
If you went to school dances in the ‘90s, you know the Macarena. You probably think you know the words too (You don’t). Latin music hit its pinnacle with this song and its accompanying dance-slash-arm-movements. It was a one-hit wonder for Los del Rio and the Bayside Boys, but man, was it huge. Hey, it was the ‘90s; we were also dealing with “Mambo No. 5” and the Spice Girls’ “Stop” dance.
#6 – Y.M.C.A.
Props to the Village People for giving us this dance and a great group Halloween costume idea. Whether it’s an ode to the Young Men’s Christian Association or a gay anthem, it doesn’t matter: we defy you to find someone who doesn’t know this dance. In fact, we haven’t been able to get through a wedding in years without hearing this funky Disco tune. Or the Bunny Hop.
Speaking of Disco, there were many dances associated with that style of music, and we have trouble picking a favorite. The Electric Boogaloo, the Bump, the Hustle – all funky. We don’t even know what this move is called, but we do it every time we hear the Bee Gees. Disco may be dead but we don’t want to hear about it.
#4 – Line Dancing
Whether you’re doing the Achy Breaky Dance, movin’ along to “Cotton-Eyed Joe,” or bopping around to Shania Twain, there’s a good chance you’re doing it in a line with other people. And no line dance is complete without cowboy boots and a hat. You can give credit to Bill Ray Cyrus for catapulting this style into the mainstream – what is it about terrible songs starting hilarious dances?
#3 – Swing Dancing
Everybody: “Jump, Jive an’ Wail”! This is the dance craze that keeps coming back. It originally became popular in the 1920s, stayed popular till the ‘50s, then was revived in the ‘90s thanks to some really effective Gap ads. People still love swing dancing as a social activity, so forms like the Charleston, the jitterbug and the Lindy Hop will surely be around for a long time.
#2 – The Moonwalk
The only thing the King of Pop was better at than cranking out hits was cranking out awesome dances. From “Beat It” to “Bad” to “Thriller,” choreographed group dances were never the same after MJ. But, his most lasting move was a solo one: in 1983, he taught us to Moonwalk. Walking backwards never looked so cool. Plus, it can get you out of pesky time travel-related jams!
#1 – The Twist
Taking the top spot on our list is an oldie, but a goodie. “The Twist” is pretty tame by today’s standards, but in its day it was provocative. You can’t think of “The Twist” without thinking of Chubby Checker, because he made the song and dance what they are today. But many other artists have had tunes about this same dance, even The Beatles. That’s what makes the Twist so great: anyone can do it.
We’re sure we’ve missed a few of your favorite dance crazes, so let us know by subscribing to WatchMojo.com.
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