A Decade Of Viral Dancing: Gangnam Style, The Floss & More From The 2010s

As the year comes to an end, the decade-end lists are beginning and it'd be impossible to talk about music and dance without mentioning the viral routines that took over our feeds and, yes, even the nightlife scene. Since we're closing in on the '10s, iHeartRadio wanted to take a look back at some of the most prolific dances to take pop culture by storm. While some of these were created alongside the track's accompanied video, other crazes were simply just the creation of the right place and the right time. Scroll on below to relive some of the biggest dances of the decade!

Dance: The Dougie (2010)

Track: Cali Swag District - "Teach Me How To Dougie"

While some of these dances only maintain relevance during their release, we’d like to argue that the Dougie has kept some of its essence almost a decade after its unveil. The dance, which was loosely based on moves by Doug E. Fresh, harks back to the '80s when it was originated in Dallas, Texas, before gaining notoriety through Lil Will and his 2007 track, "My Dougie." Southern California's C-Smoove taught the members of Cali Swag District the moves and the rest is history. The group recorded "Teach Me How To Dougie," filmed the video and a new dance craze took over the scene.

Dance: The Wobble Line Dance (2011)

Track: V.I.C. - "Wobble"

If you’ve been to a wedding, you’ve probably come across V.I.C.’s "Wobble," which gives listeners an instructions to get down on the dance floor — in a line, of course. Think of it as a counterpart to DJ Casper's "Cha Cha Slide," but with a little more rhythm. Interestingly enough, the origins reportedly stem from Baltimore-based line dance instructors, who initially titled the routine "Nasty Girl" to a different track during choreographer Cheryl Williams' dance class. In 2009, a man named Jeremy Strong of Texas changed the name and placed it with V.I.C.'s record. Despite its 2008 release, the track grew in popularity in 2011 and made its debut that year on the Billboard U.S. Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart at No. 89.

Dance: Gangnam Style (2012)

Track: PSY - "Gangnam Style"

Before Kim Kardashian broke the internet, Psy did a pretty good job at doing so with a viral music video that pushed K-Pop to new heights way before the days of BTS and Blackpink. As per The Wall Street Journal, it was an endorsement tweet from T-Pain that really kicked off the movement. In retrospect, “Gangnam Style” is a novelty of the past, but that doesn't make the pony-riding move any less fun.

Dance: The Harlem Shake (2013)

Track: Baauer - "Harlem Shake"

If there's one dance craze in the last decade that was suitable for all ages, it was the Harlem Shake. Using a short snippet from Baur's track of the same name, the concept was simple: feature one person dancing to the song along or surrounded by folks until the beat drops. From there, it was all about freestyle dancing from everyone else. The Harlem Shake was first featured as the opening segment in a clip from Japanese comedian George Miller, before five Australian teens gave it even more life with their own rendition.

Dance: Shmoney Dance (2014)

Track: Bobby Shmurda - "Hot Boy"

As the story goes, "Hot Boy" went from being a Llyod Banks record to one of the hottest songs of 2015, courtesy of some viral success. After Bobby Shmurda and his crew filmed the clip of them dancing in unison, Vine maker Vladimir Francois knew exactly what he wanted to capture and the song (and accompanying dance moves) simply took off.

Dance: Whip/Nae Nae (2015)

Track: Silento - "Watch Me (Whip/Nae Nae)"

Kids across the country were hypnotized by the Whip/Nae Nae in 2014, but Silentó helped elevate the craze beyond Vine, Twitter and Instagram. “Watch Me (Whip/Nae Nae)” was released a year later in 2015 and gave fans a record to show off their moves. With the help of a digital media company called DanceOn, 50 of their video creators assisted in viral popularity by making instructional clips for the #WatchMeDanceOn campaign.

Dance: Juju On That Beat (2016)

Track: Zay Hilfigerrr & Zayion McCall – "Juju On That Beat (TK Anthem)"

Zay Hilfigerrr & Zayion McCall's "Juju on That Beat (TZ Anthem)" is an example of what happens when the internet simply misses a wave. Initially posted as a track from McCall's mixtape, Why So Serious?, in 2016, the track reportedly received just 18,000 views. It was posted on his channel one month later in August, where it went on to nab over 45 million views and the beginning of a cultural movement kicked off.

Dance: The Floss (2017)

Track: Katy Perry - "Swish Swish"

While Katy Perry's SNL performance of "Swish Swish" certainly didn't create The Floss, the number did help prompt Australian child phenomenon Backpack Kid, better known as Russell Horning, to a whole new level. You see, in the summer of 2016, his dance videos started to gain traction, but it was Perry's invite to her May 2017 set in Studio 8H that turned everything around.

Dance: #InMyFeelingsChallenge (2018)

Track: Drake - "In My Feelings"

Drake's "In My Feelings" already sounded like a bona-fide hit, but the accompanying #InMyFeelingsChallenge, which was started by Instagram comedian Shiggy, elevated the hit to internet phenomenon level. All Shiggy had to do was share a video of him dancing to the track, or "doing the Shiggy," as he called it at the time and BAM.

Dance: Bust Down Thotiana (2019)

Track: Blueface - "Thotiana"

It took Blueface a whole year (and a Cardi B remix) to make "Thotiana" happen, but when it did, it hit the jackpot. Originally released in February 2018, the track turned into a meme after folks caught onto the rapper holding the front of his pants, waving an arm in the air and letting the beat take over.

Photo: Getty Images


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