TikTok dances revolutionized viral choreography culture, making dance central to Gen Z social media experience and democratizing choreography creation—but also highlighting issues of creator credit and cultural appropriation.

TikTok Dance Era

2018-2020: TikTok (Musical.ly rebranded 2018) became dominant short-form video platform
Dance centrality: Unlike YouTube or Instagram, TikTok’s algorithm prioritized dance content from day one

Key difference from previous eras:

• 15-60 seconds: Choreography designed for short clips
• Looping: Dances designed to repeat seamlessly
• Sounds: Dances tied to specific audio clips, not full songs
• Duets/Stitches: Collaborative features amplified spread

Major TikTok Dances (2019-2023)

2019:

• “Old Town Road” (Lil Nas X) - Yeehaw challenge
• “Lottery (Renegade)” (K CAMP) - Jalaiah Harmon’s most complex viral dance
• “Roxanne” (Arizona Zervas) - Simple hop-and-sway

2020:

• “Blinding Lights” (The Weeknd) - Simplest massively viral dance
• “Savage” (Megan Thee Stallion) - Keara Wilson’s empowerment routine
• “Say So” (Doja Cat) - Haley Sharpe’s disco-inspired moves
• “WAP” (Cardi B & Megan) - Brian Esperon’s controversial choreography

2021-2022:

• “Buss It” (Erica Banks) - Glow-up transformation format
• “Up” (Cardi B)
• “Fancy Like” (Walker Hayes) - Family-friendly country crossover
• “Stayed” (The Kid LAROI & Justin Bieber)

The Creator Credit Problem

Initial issues (2019-2020):

• Black creators often went uncredited while white influencers gained millions
• Algorithm favored established creators (Charli D’Amelio, Addison Rae) over originators
• Renegade controversy forced TikTok to address attribution

Turning point:

• February 2020: NYT article revealed Jalaiah Harmon created Renegade
• June 2021: Black TikTok Strike—Black creators stopped creating to protest lack of credit
• Result: TikTok improved attribution features; creators became more conscious about crediting

The TikTok Dance Formula

What makes a TikTok dance successful:

• 8-15 seconds of choreography (loopable)
• Simple enough for casual dancers
• Impressive enough when done well
• Catchy song with clear beat drops
• Hand/arm movements (visible in phone-distance selfie videos)
• Minimal footwork (people film in bedrooms, small spaces)

Contrast to earlier viral dances:

• Harlem Shake: Group participation, chaos
• Gangnam Style: Full-body choreography, needs space
• TikTok dances: Optimized for solo, close-up phone filming

Impact on Music Industry

Chart success driven by TikTok dances:

• “Old Town Road” (2019): Longest #1 in history (19 weeks), TikTok-driven
• “Blinding Lights” (2020): #1 song, biggest song of 2020, viral dance key
• “Savage” (2020): Dance propelled Megan Thee Stallion to #1
• “Say So” (2020): Doja Cat credits TikTok for breaking her career

Record labels’ response:

• Plant songs on TikTok hoping for dance challenge
• Pay influencers to create dances
• “TikTok playlisting” became A&R strategy

Professionalization of TikTok Choreography

Career paths emerged:

• Charli D’Amelio: 150M+ followers, became professional dancer/influencer
• Brian Esperon: Choreographs for major artists after TikTok success
• Haley Sharpe (Say So creator): Brand deals, professional opportunities

Choreographer economy:

• Artists/labels hire TikTok choreographers to create viral-ready dances
• “Will this work on TikTok?” became songwriting consideration

Decline of TikTok Dance Dominance (2022-2023)

Shift away from dance:

• BeReal, Instagram Reels fragmented attention
• TikTok algorithm diversified beyond dance
• Dance fatigue set in
• Lip-sync, comedy, educational content gained prominence

But dances didn’t disappear:

• Still major part of platform
• Just no longer THE dominant content type

Cultural Impact

Positive:

• Democratized choreography—anyone could create viral dance
• Made dance accessible to non-dancers
• Created professional pathways for young choreographers
• Drove music discovery

Negative:

• Perpetuated cultural appropriation (white creators profiting from Black choreography)
• Algorithm amplified inequality
• Pressure to participate could feel exclusionary
• Copyright/attribution issues unresolved

Legacy

TikTok dances represented peak viral dance culture:

• Most democratized choreography creation ever
• Tightest link between dance virality and commercial music success
• Brought dance back to center of youth culture (post-YouTube era)

While dominance faded, TikTok permanently changed how dances spread, how artists market music, and how Gen Z engages with choreography.

Sources:
The New York Times - TikTok Dance Culture
Billboard - TikTok’s Impact on Charts
The Verge - Black TikTok Strike