Dance Crazes That Stood the Test of Time

Dance crazes are not about complicated moves, but about having everybody join in the fun of simple steps that anyone can do. While most people would rather forget about “silly” and “immature” dance crazes of the past, there are little things that get stuck in our heads no matter how much we try to replace them with other thoughts. Maybe in the next few years, even these “old” dance steps will be popular again, and the good news is that we can all pick up where we left off.

Many dance crazes have come and gone over the years, here is a list of 10 dance crazes that have stood the test of time:

The Ketchup Song



The Ketchup Song is the English title of the song “Aserejé,”, was a popular dance hit in 2002. It was performed by a Spanish pop group “Las Ketchup“. The lively dance style combined snappy hand movements and gyrating hips. The Ketchup Song encountered some controversies as some religious organization called it a form of “devil-worship. In the Philippines in particular, The Christian group Iglesia ni Cristo, prohibited their followers from listening to the song.

The Robot Dance



The Robot (or mannequin) is a freestyle dance routine where one tries to be like a dancing robot. In the late 1960s, Charles Washington first performed this dance move in social dancing. The Robot dance, gained more popularity after the late Michael Jackson, showcased the style in his concert appearances and music videos. The dance, with no definite dance steps. While doing the freestyle movements, you have to project an image that you’re powered by an electric motor. The dance routine is perfect for soul and funk music.

The Papaya



“Papaya” a song with an upbeat tempo was popularized by Urszula Dudziak in the 1970s. It has been a popular song in the Philippines and other Southeast Asian countries. It was first performed by a TV host (Edu Manzano) in a Philippine daily game show “Game Ka Na Ba?” Since then, the Papaya dance often called “the new Macarena,” has gone a long way. It was featured in ABC daily show Good Morning and was named a new international dance craze. Many videos are now uploaded in popular internet video hosting sites particularly YouTube.

The Larusso



Aside from ballet, the French must be proud of giving the dancing community another great dance craze called “The Larusso.” The Larusso mixes traditional line dance, ballroom dancing and modern jazz. There are many variation of this line dance but the most common order of steps is from the original music video of Larusso’s (Laetitia Serero) 2000 dance hit, “O ne s’aimera plus jamais.”

The Saturday Night Fever



Disco was a hit during the 1970’s and credit John Travolta for its popularity. In the famous film scene, John Travolta, dressed in an all white disco suit and swaying his hips created the now famous dance “Saturday Night Fever.” One particular step that stuck in the minds of many was when John Travolta pointed up one hand to the sky while the other hand points to the ground. You can make the routine more exciting by adding some hip movements.

The Macarena



Ask anybody who grew up in the 1990s what dance craze they still remember, and perhaps most of them will echo the same answer The Macarena. Performed by the Spanish duo “Los del Rio”, Macarena was a catchy song complimented by seven easy and captivating steps. Though it lost much of its popularity, Macarena is still used in exercise videos.

The Running Man



The Running Man is a popular dance craze during the 1980s. Paula Abdul conceptualized this dance routine while she was a choreographer for Janet Jackson. It was first performed on Janet Jackson’s “Control” concert tour in 1987. Also, MC Hammer performed it as part of his live concert shows. The Running man gained renewed popularity in the 2000s. Former First Lady Laura Bush and other celebrities including Britney Spears and Scarlett Johansson admitted in some interviews doing the Running Man. The Running Man has no definite steps to follow; you just run in place, and include some sliding motions to your routine.

The Hokey-Pokey



To many, Hokey-Pokey is considered as the father of all dance crazes. American and British soldiers performed it as a form of relaxation and entertainment during World War II. Since then, hokey-Pokey become a popular dance routine during school programs. Today, hokey-Pokey is performed during parties, Christian fellowships and other informal gatherings. As the song goes; “You simply put your right hand in, and put your right hand out. Put your right hand in, and shake it all about.

The YMCA



Late in 1978, the Village People recorded the song “Y.M.C.A.” and became a hit the following year. The group didn’t realized that their song would create a dance craze. One has only to make hand movements to spell out “Y.M.C.A.” The dance is a favorite among sporting events and is added by cheerleading squads to their routine.

The Lambada



The 1980s and the early 1990s was a decade of dance hits and crazes. The Lambada is considered the most famous dance crazes of the time. It is a Brazilian dance for couples known for its sensual moves where the dancing couple feel the beat with their stomachs pressed together. No wonder it was called the “Forbidden dance.” In 1989, it gained international popularity when the French pop group Kaoma hit “Lambada.” The Lambada became popular at ballroom parties for its smooth, upbeat and erotic dance steps. Today, this dance craze still enjoys much popularity among countries such as UK, Germany, Brazil, Denmark, Aruba, Italy, Australia and Japan.