TikTok has become one of the most popular social media platforms, with over 1 billion monthly active users. A major part of its appeal comes from the viral dance challenges that users create and share. Dances like the Renegade, Mofos, and WAP have spawned millions of videos as people try to perfect the choreography.
TikTok dance challenges go viral quickly, leading to major trends as users across the platform create their own versions. Each dance brings its own unique moves and vibe. While some like the Git Up are fun and goofy, others like WAP are edgier.
With new dances constantly emerging, a natural question arises – what is the easiest TikTok dance to learn? Identifying a simple dance to start with can help beginners gain confidence to take on more advanced challenges.
Methodology
To identify the easiest TikTok dance to learn, I evaluated dances based on the following criteria:
- Number of distinct moves or steps in the dance choreography
- Complexity of the individual dance moves and transitions between moves
- Amount of hand-eye coordination required to perform the moves
- Speed of the dance and need for precise timing
- Overall dance length
I focused my analysis on the most popular and viral TikTok dances over the past year. To compile this list, I referred to rankings and recap reports from outlets like The Observer, The New York Times, and independent analysis of dance complexity. From these reports, I identified the 10-15 top trending dances and evaluated videos of their choreography based on the criteria above.
The Renegade
The Renegade dance is a viral TikTok trend featuring a series of moves set to the song “Lottery” by K Camp. It was created in September 2019 by Jalaiah Harmon, a 14-year old from Atlanta. The Renegade quickly took off in popularity on TikTok, with over 12 million videos using the hashtag #renegade as of January 2020 Source.
The dance involves a specific sequence of arm movements, hand claps, kicks, and dabs. It starts with the dancer hitting a Woah move by bringing the left arm down in front while bending the right arm up. Next, the dancer claps twice before swinging both arms from side to side. The moves continue with the right leg kicking out twice followed by two dabs. The sequence repeats on the other side with the left leg kicking and arm movements reversed.
The Renegade requires learning specific arm and hand coordination along with timing the moves to changes in the music. While it takes practice to master, the repeating sequence of 6-8 moves is relatively simple compared to other TikTok dances. The Renegade is considered a beginner or intermediate level dance.
The Git Up Challenge
The Git Up Challenge is a popular TikTok dance that exploded in popularity in 2019. It features a cowboy-themed line dance set to the song “The Git Up” by Blanco Brown. The dance moves are inspired by classic line dances but with a modern flair.
Here is a breakdown of the dance moves in The Git Up Challenge:
- Step forward with your right foot and hop as you swing your left leg forward
- Take a step back and hop as you swing your right leg back behind you
- Grapevine to the right by stepping right, crossing left behind, stepping right, then touching left next to right
- Grapevine to the left by stepping left, crossing right behind, stepping left, then touching right next to left
- Turn 90 degrees to the right and step forward on right as you swing left leg forward
- Turn 90 degrees to the left and step forward on left as you swing right leg forward
- Shimmy shoulders while taking 4 steps back
- Shimmy shoulders while taking 4 steps forward
While the choreography takes some coordination, the moves themselves are relatively simple. The repetitive nature of the steps also makes The Git Up easier to pick up compared to other viral dances. Overall, the difficulty level is beginner-intermediate, making it one of the more accessible TikTok dances to learn.
See the dance here: The Git Up Dance Challenge
The Woah
The Woah is one of the most popular dances on TikTok, with over 3.4 million videos using the sound “Lottery” by K Camp that features the dance. The Woah is characterized by moving your arms up and down in a wave motion while popping your chest out and in. Here is a breakdown of the moves:
Start with your feet shoulder-width apart and keep your knees slightly bent. Raise both arms up over your head, then quickly bring them down with bent elbows by your sides. As your arms come down, pop your chest out. Then bring your arms back up overhead as you pull your chest back in.
Repeat this wave motion with your arms and chest popping several times. You can add your own style by varying the speed or adding hip movements. The basic arm wave and chest pop is fairly simple and easy to pick up. Since there is room for personal flair, the Woah allows beginners to try it while still engaging more experienced dancers.
Overall, the Woah is one of the easier TikTok dances to learn. The repetitive arm wave and chest isolation provides a simple foundation to build on. The music matches the smooth flowing groove of the moves. With practice, the Woah can be performed at faster speeds to create a visually impressive dance that anyone can learn.
The Savage
The Savage is a dance choreographed by Keara Wilson to accompany Megan Thee Stallion’s hit song “Savage.” It became popular in early 2020 when the #SavageChallenge took off on TikTok, with over 21 million videos made using the song as of April 2020 [1].
The dance involves a lot of hip swirling and body rolling. Some of the signature moves include raising one arm up and circling the other arm around, bending down and swinging the arms back, and dropping down into a squat while swinging the arms. There are several variations on the dance that have emerged, but most focus on these sultry hip movements.
While the fluid hip motions make The Savage dance sensual and fun, it does require practice to smoothly transition between moves and properly time each hip pop and body roll to the beat. The combination of hip movements and squatting up and down also makes it moderately physically demanding. Overall, The Savage is a medium difficulty TikTok dance that looks impressive when executed well.
Comparison
When comparing some of the most popular TikTok dances, you can evaluate them based on certain criteria to determine which is the easiest to learn. Here is a summary table comparing the difficulty levels:
Dance | Number of Steps | Complexity of Moves | Speed/Timing |
---|---|---|---|
The Renegade | Moderate | Moderate | Fast |
The Git Up Challenge | High | Moderate | Moderate |
The Woah | Low | Low | Slow |
The Savage | Moderate | High | Fast |
Based on having the lowest number of steps, simplest moves, and slowest speed, the Woah appears to be the easiest TikTok dance to learn.
Learning the Easiest Dance
Of the popular TikTok dances reviewed, the Renegade is likely the easiest to learn as a beginner thanks to its simple, repetitive moves. Here are some tips to help you master the Renegade dance:
Step-by-Step Instructions
The Renegade has two main parts that repeat throughout the dance:
– Start with your arms crossed in an X across your chest. Then quickly uncross your arms outwards in front of you.
– Next, bend your elbows and point both hands up, pumping your arms in the air in time with the beat.
Repeat these arm movements, adding the following steps:
– Step your right leg to the side, bending your knee slightly as you pump your arms up.
– Bring your right leg back to starting position, stepping back to center.
– Repeat the same knee bend/step to the side with your left leg.
– Return back to center position.
Keep alternating which leg steps out as you repeat the arm motions. Add some hip sway or bops to the beat to give it extra flair!
Tips and Tricks
– Move your arms and body smoothly to the rhythm of the song.
– Keep your movements controlled and confident – avoid flailing!
– Practice in front of a mirror to check your form.
– Watch Renegade tutorial videos for visual guidance.
– Start slow and speed up as it becomes more comfortable.
Common Mistakes
– Not moving to the beat of the music properly.
– Making arm and leg movements too big.
– Forgetting to alternate which leg steps out.
– Poor coordination between upper and lower body.
– Straightening legs too much on the side knee bends.
With regular practice, you’ll be hitting the Renegade in no time! Master the basics before adding your own style. Stay patient and have fun with it!
Practicing and Improving
Here’s how you can practice and improve your TikTok dance moves:
Create a practice routine and set aside time each day to go over the dance moves. Break down each move and drill the motions. According to the guide on Medium, you should focus on 2-3 moves at a time and master them slowly before trying to connect moves.
Use online tutorials and lessons for the dances you want to learn. Sites like WikiHow provide step-by-step instructions to teach yourself the moves. Watching the official dance videos can also help see how the moves should look.
Stay motivated by mixing up songs and dances so you don’t get bored. Have fun challenging yourself to learn new dances. Work on dances you genuinely enjoy rather than those just trending. The key is enjoying the process and having a good time dancing!
Conclusion
Of the popular TikTok dances reviewed, the Renegade is likely the easiest to learn for beginners. With a simple series of arm movements and moderately paced steps, it provides a great introduction to TikTok choreography. While other dances may rely more on fast, complex footwork or body rolls, the Renegade keeps things straightforward. Its moves are intuitive and accessible for all ages and dance skill levels.
The simplicity of many TikTok dances is part of what makes them so fun and appealing. Even those without much dance experience can quickly pick up the basics and start taking part. TikTok offers a platform for everyone to showcase their own take on viral choreography, put their creativity to use, and join a community of millions sharing their dance videos online. With just a few viewings and practice runs, you too can learn the Renegade and start making TikTok dance videos to entertain your friends and followers.
Learning a popular TikTok dance like the Renegade is also a great way to stay active and boost your confidence. The combination of listening to music and moving your body is a proven mood booster. As you nail down the steps, you’ll feel a sense of accomplishment that comes from broadening your skill set. And the more you dance, the better you’ll become at picking up choreography and transitioning between moves fluidly. So grab some friends, queue up the “Lottery” track, and start renegade dancing your way to TikTok fame!