- today
Step back into the era of neon lights and big hair as we explore some of the most unforgettable dance moves that became the heartbeat of the 1980s. From the smooth grooves of the Running Man to the electrifying moves of Thriller, these dances captured the spirit and style of a decade defined by music and motion. Get ready to relive the rhythm that got us all moving.
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00:00Welcome to Ms. Mojo and today we're counting down our picks for the most rad and totally tubular
00:07dance moves that defined the 1980s. The dances may have been created before the decade but this
00:14is when they became popular. 10. Old Time Rock and Roll
00:26The Risky Business Dance became one of the most iconic sequences of the 80s and it's mostly because
00:32of how effortlessly cool Tom Cruise looked doing it. The moment starts with Cruise in just a shirt
00:50and socks sliding across the floor to Bob Seger's Old Time Rock and Roll. It's the perfect
00:56mix of swagger, carefree energy, and a song that fits like a glove.
01:00That kind of music just soothes my soul. I really miss about the days of old. With that old time
01:10of rock and roll. What made it truly iconic wasn't just the dance. It captured that rebellious 80s
01:17teen spirit where spontaneity and a little silliness could make you feel like a star.
01:22Who wouldn't want to reenact that carefree confidence? Indeed, it's been copied and parodied endlessly.
01:28Today's music ain't got the same song. I like that old time of rock and roll.
01:359. Walk Like an Egyptian
01:37To this day, we still love a song that tells us exactly how to dance.
01:43Songwriter Liam Stenberg actually got the idea for the Bengals' hit while riding a ferry.
01:55When the boat hit rough waters, passengers tried to stay balanced while still walking.
02:00Something about their movements reminded him of ancient Egyptian artwork and boom, inspiration.
02:06All the old paintings on the tomb, they do the sand dance, don't you know?
02:11Interestingly, dances inspired by Egyptian-style poses go way back like the sand dances of the early 1900s,
02:18which the music video even subtly referenced.
02:21The Walk Like an Egyptian dance featured stylized arms, angular poses, and simple sidesteps.
02:27It became one of the most memorable novelty dances of the late 80s, and it's still a bit of fun today.
02:338. The Breakfast Club Detention Dance
02:44John Hughes' The Breakfast Club is peak 80s teen movie energy, packed with iconic moments we still quote and copy.
02:52One of the most unforgettable is that detention dance scene where the gang kills time by breaking out their wildest moves.
02:59The standout is Molly Ringwald's thrashy solo.
03:03It's not about being polished, it's all about the attitude.
03:12She makes flailing look effortlessly cool, which is probably why it became a go-to on dance floors everywhere.
03:18When you take that, there's no one wearing a mask, you'll bring them down in the wall.
03:25Fun fact, that sequence was meant to be a solo for Ringwald, but she got shy, so it became a group thing.
03:31It's one of those dances you just have to throw yourself into.
03:35No second thought.
03:36She was supposed to be a really great modern dancer, and so there was a big scene where I was supposed to, I don't know, become like Martha Graham and impress everyone with my skills.
03:45But I was not a great dancer.
03:47I don't think I've ever been a great dancer.
03:50So, yeah, so then he said, okay, well, let's just have everyone dance.
03:53Number 7, Lumbada.
03:55And I intend to find myself in San Juan drinking cervezas with a very fiery Caribbean lover who will take me in his taut, muscular arms, and together we will dance the forbidden dance.
04:08Ah, the forbidden dance.
04:10The Lumbada's roots go back to at least the 1920s, tying into various Latin dance styles.
04:16But it truly exploded in 1989 thanks to the French-Brazilian group, Coma.
04:29This cheeky partner dance keeps your legs bent while your hips do the heavy lifting as you glide side to side.
04:35It's all swaying, smooth turns, and a rhythm so hot it'll work up a sweat, not just from the dance, but from the heat between you and your partner.
04:43The trend of short skirts made the women's hip action even more hypnotic.
04:48This isn't your grandma's partner dance.
04:51If flirting were a dance, this would be it.
05:00Number 6, The Running Man.
05:03This step might look easy, but it's more than just running in place.
05:07I'm gonna lift up my right leg, and I'm gonna push back and down, okay?
05:12So, boom, I'm gonna lift my left leg, push back, and down.
05:19It's a mix of shuffling and sliding that gives the illusion of running while pulling something toward you.
05:25While this move might have existed before the 80s, it was artists like Janet Jackson, Selena, and Vanilla Ice who got us all trying it.
05:33Check out the hook where my DJ revolves it.
05:35Ice, Ice, Ice, Ice.
05:37Some even trace its roots back to MC Hammer.
05:40It's timeless because it's insanely adaptable, it works in any setting, and people just can't resist joining in.
05:47Bobby Brown apparently even tweaked it into the Roger Rabbit in his 1989 Every Little Step video.
05:53It's one of those moves that, to this day, hasn't gone out of style.
06:04Number 5, Harlem Shake.
06:06Are we doing a Harlem Shake?
06:10Straight up, we're not talking about that 2010s trend.
06:13The original Harlem Shake was created by Albert Boyce, a.k.a. Al B, who would perform it during basketball halftime shows.
06:21He was an old school dancer, we used to love the way he danced and his style.
06:25And so we incorporated our Harlem Shake style with his dance style.
06:29It's a sharp, popping dance with moves meant to mimic someone who's had one drink too many.
06:35It caught on with hip-hop dancers and quickly evolved into the style we know today.
06:39The dance is all about soul. It's about, it's about the spirit. It's about funky. Get funky like Soul Train.
06:47It's like, it's like a good movement, you gotta be a good spirit. It's about being on beat.
06:52Named after Al's hometown of Harlem, the dance spread through different crews, each adding their own flavor.
06:59It later resurfaced as one of the earlier viral dance crazes on social media.
07:03But trust us, if you mention it to anyone in the hip-hop world, they'll be quick to inform you that it's not the same thing.
07:10It's not a dance, it's a movement.
07:12Number 4. Cabbage Patch.
07:14As the story goes, this dance move's name comes from the Cabbage Patch Kids dolls, which were all the rage at the time.
07:21Although if anyone knows why, please drop a comment and enlighten us.
07:25Now time for some pre-game cabbage patching to supercharge our good luck.
07:28Even if the superstitions breach the boundary of common sense.
07:31Do it better, the eagles need us.
07:33Or any sense at all.
07:35At its simplest, it's about moving your arms in outward, circular motions with clenched fists.
07:40But if you want to score extra cool points, get your whole upper body into it.
07:44And maybe even step into it.
07:46Stick out your arms.
07:48Step 4.
07:49Circle your arms around.
07:51You know, like you're in a Cabbage Patch.
07:54It's so easy, anyone can do it.
07:56The move was such a hit that it even inspired multiple songs throughout the 80s.
08:01You might even find yourself doing the Cabbage Patch as your go-to celebratory dance.
08:06It has that vibe of pure self-celebration.
08:08I'm gonna do the Cabbage Patch, Morty.
08:10Do it, Rick, do it right.
08:13I'm doing it too.
08:13Do the Cabbage Patch, remember?
08:14We're doing the Cabbage Patch.
08:15Do it, do the dance.
08:16Number 3.
08:18The Electric Slide.
08:19The Electric Slide may have been around before the 80s, but it hit its peak after the 1983 hit Electric Boogie.
08:26Now it's time to dance the Electric Slide.
08:30Are we really gonna do the Electric Slide right now?
08:33I guess.
08:34There's been some debate about who originally created it, but that's another story.
08:39It's a line dance with 22 steps, although the number can vary depending on the version.
08:44What made the Electric Slide so popular was how easy it was to learn.
08:48It's simple, repetitive steps allowed people of all ages and skill levels to join in without needing a partner.
09:01This made it perfect for large gatherings where not everyone knew each other, creating a sense of shared fun.
09:07By the late 80s, it was a staple at social events.
09:11She's a movie, movie, movie, she sure got some movies.
09:13You gotta know it.
09:15It's electric.
09:16Woogie, woogie, woogie.
09:18That you can't hold it.
09:20It's electric.
09:21Number 2.
09:22Thriller.
09:23The moonwalk dates back to at least the 1930s, but when we say moonwalk, most people probably picture this.
09:30Michael Jackson made it iconic, but if we're talking MJ-inspired dance crazes, it's gotta be the thriller routine, choreographed by Michael Peters.
09:41In 1983, fans everywhere transformed into stiff-legged zombies with claw hands, grooving to peak 80s pop.
09:55It's one of the most recreated dances in pop culture history.
09:58The video became the first to earn a spot in the National Film Registry, and in 2024, it became the fourth music video to join YouTube's exclusive 1 billion views club.
10:15Play thriller at any party and just watch.
10:18No 80s kid could resist joining in.
10:20Zombies, assemble.
10:21Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.
10:38The safety dance.
10:40Cause your friends don't dance, and if they don't dance, well, you know the rest.
10:43Safety dance.
10:46Oh, the safety dance.
10:47The dirty dancing lift.
10:50We'd love to know how many emergency dispatch calls in 1987 can be traced back to this lift gone wrong.
10:56This could be love, because I'm the title of my life.
11:06The pendulum.
11:07You know this one from music videos like The Right Stuff by New Kids on the Block.
11:11Da Butt.
11:18A song that inspired dancers to shake their booties well into the next decade and beyond.
11:23Show that dance to me.
11:25What am I doing, Da Butt?
11:28Hey, rest time, rest time.
11:30The Snake.
11:31An easy move anyone can bust out anywhere.
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11:54Number 1.
11:55Breakdancing.
11:56Breakdancing, also called breaking, is cool personified.
11:59It started in the late 60s and early 70s in NYC, created by Black and Latino communities.
12:16At its core, it's a mix of rhythm, creativity, and straight-up athleticism.
12:21You've got your top rock fancy footwork while standing, and then the drop literally dropping to the floor,
12:27followed by down rock and power moves.
12:29Thinks spins, freezes, and headstands.
12:39It pulls from martial arts, gymnastics, and more.
12:43The media labeled it breakdancing in the 80s, lumping it with pop and lock, funk, and other styles.
12:49But breaking's always been its own thing.
12:52It's now an Olympic sport, and has even been performed at the Vatican.
12:56But it all started on the streets.
12:58This is major for breaking, and hip-hop in general, because coming from nothing to being on a huge stage like the Olympics is like, nobody could expect.
13:07Which dance move do you think is like a time machine to the 80s?
13:10Bounce to the comments and let us know.
13:12By...
13:13He's a ли developments.
13:13By the way.
13:13invert the right lens.
13:14By the way.
13:15I'm breathing.
13:16The movement.
13:16By all.
13:18By the way.
13:18By the way.
13:18I'm breathing.
13:19By the way.
13:19By the way.
13:19Back ge
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