The social media platform TikTok captured many millions of young adults and teenagers. It is the most popular app and is at the top of the leaderboard even before WhatsApp, Snapchat, Instagram, etc. Originally, the app was known under the name ‘Musical.ly” until, in summer 2017, it got bought from a Chinese media company, ByteDance. Then, one year later, the name of the app officially changed from Musical.ly to TikTok. The purpose of the app is that people can create an account and upload their own short clips and videos. In the last few years, it has become more common to upload many different kinds of videos, for example, comedy clips, clips about fashion, art, sports, hobbies, lifestyles, and basically everything one can imagine. However, the original idea of the social media platform was to create short videos of not more than a minute in which people were dancing to excerpts of songs or sounds. Under these videos, everyone can comment on their thoughts, share them with friends, or give them a “like”. The content creators often encourage their followers to try out the choreography of their dances and tag them in their version. Over time, many of these dance challenges circulated through the app, and in this way, the users could interact easily with each other. Furthermore, TikTok dances have become way more than just a fun little pastime. It is now a kind of international phenomenon that connects people who share their love for dancing.
These special choreographies also find their way out of our phone screens and into our daily lives. The Jade Harrison School of Dance, for example, incorporates TikTok dances into their schedule in the form of a separate dance class. The reason why these dances are popular all over the world is that there are so many different ways to choreograph these routines with moves that are very easy to learn but also advanced moves. Examples of popular TikTok sounds are “Savage Love” (Laxed – Siren Beat) by Jawsh 685 and Jason Derulo, “Say So” by Doja Cat, or “Supalonely” by BENEE featuring Gus Dapperton.
Moreover, even though these short dance routines are mostly common among younger generations, people of every age enjoy watching or learning from these videos. To some, they may seem unnecessary or invaluable, but actually, they can have a very positive influence on the people who are watching them or who perform them.
Other than that, since in these dancing videos there are sometimes challenging physical movements, it can be seen as a small workout. But apart from this, there are many benefits that make the dance worth trying. Emboldening and approving comments and interactions during the dance posts can strengthen their self-confidence and encourage them to have more trust in themselves. Through these relationships that get built in an online community, it can be easier for some people, especially children, to make friends. Also, since dancing is a form of art, it is also a way to express yourself, get creative, and stimulate one’s imagination. A lot of teenagers and children often struggle to develop discipline, and this can accompany them through their whole lives since they will always encounter situations where it is necessary to be disciplined. So, this trait can be improved when dancing because the little performers need to learn on their own how to set their goals, manage their time, or keep up their perserverance.
Sources:
https://www.schau-hin.info/grundlagen/tiktok-das-steckt-hinter-der-trend-app
https://www.jadeharrisonschoolofdance.co.uk/index.php/about/blog/193-what-are-tiktok-dances
https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Musical.ly
