Viral Dance Phenomenon: Ascendancy and Dominance of Popular Dance Trends on TikTok
A Cutting-Edge Guide to TikTok Virality:
In today's world, it's TikTok that's reshaping cultural fame and redefining the rules of popularity. Just a tap and a twist could have your bedroom video gaining global attention. From the famed "Woke Macarena" by CMAT to sudden dance floor icons, Sarah McIntyre and Laura Delaney ponder: What does it truly take to go viral in 2025?
Unlike conventional social media platforms, virality on TikTok doesn't rely on a large number of followers, giving everyone an opportunity to break through. The app thrives on participatory trends, with dance challenges being the forefront, turning everyday users into cultural contributors overnight.
In the past few weeks, the "Take a Sexy Picture of Me", also known as "Woke Macarena," by CMAT has become a global trend, with over 39,000 videos produced and over 100 million views. Celebs like Lola Young, Julia Fox, Cher Lloyd, and Amelia Dimoldenberg have jumped on the fun, sassy dance.
The creator behind the viral dance sensation, Sam Morris (@justsammorris), shared his choreography on TikTok last month, calling it his "first breakthrough moment" on the platform.
Rebecca O'Keeffe, Head of Content Operations at TikTok, explains the intriguing aspect of this trend: "It only really became a thing in the last week or two, and that's all thanks to one man creating a video in his bedroom."
She continued, "It wasn't some massive creator doing a collab with CMAT. He spotted the trend and ran with it. If you think something works, take a chance, because it probably will."
So, what propels a TikTok video to viral glory?
If there's one question TikTok's content team get asked every day, it's this: How do I go viral? We sought the insights of experts.
Dancing with the Stars judge, dancer, and choreographer Arthur Gourounlian believes the first three seconds are everything: "Grab the viewer's attention right away, use something surprising, relatable, or visually engaging. Be authentic – it makes you memorable."
From a technical standpoint, Gourounlian recommends crisp editing, good lighting, and a clear message. He also accords a shout-out to trending sounds or topics, stating "they boost discoverability."
He emphasizes, "Whatever the content – whether it's funny, moving, or educational – ensure it has a strong purpose, engage your audience to comment, employ on-screen text, or ask a question to stimulate interaction."
For Matthew Gardiner, one-half of Irish dancing duo The Gardiner Brothers (3.9 million followers and over 85 million likes on TikTok), consistency and patience are key: "It feels random sometimes what grabs traction. We think consistency is crucial, because you don't know what will go viral. Sometimes what we believe will be popular, isn’t – and it's just a matter of keeping on going."
He shares a nugget of advice from a social media guru he watched online during the pandemic that has stuck with him: "You know the phrase 'quality over quantity,' he actually flipped it and said 'quantity over quality,' because quality is subjective. Somebody out there will enjoy your content, so just keep putting it out and then the odd one will take off."
Rebecca believes that the key to being successful on TikTok is "nailing the engagement side of things," admitting, "Everyone with a phone who has access to the app is a creator."
Interestingly, when it comes to being successful on TikTok, she says you don't need big numbers to make an impact: "You don't need to have millions of followers to become a sensation on the platform. It's all about spotting that creative niche and jumping on it – trends can start from anywhere – me in my kitchen has as good a chance at going viral as the Kardashians in LA. You can start from zero and grow this incredible, engaged audience quite quickly if you just nail the engagement side of things."
So what sounds and moves perform best on TikTok?
"The algorithm is a spiteful little beast," Rebecca laughs. "The best way to go viral on TikTok and catch the attention of millions?"
According to Rebecca, it's all about how engaging the content is: "The likelihood being that if you have a million followers, you're probably quite an interesting and engaging human by default. My advice if you are starting from zero is to scroll and see what people are interested in, jump on those trends when you spot them, don't wait for them to become massive trends."
Matthew shares, "The classics songs do well for The Gardiner Brothers on TikTok. Things like The Bee Gees have always been a hit."
Dance routines with a simple nature tend to rapidly gain popularity but are rarely the most complex ones, according to dance pro Arthur. He suggests, "Videos should be visually fun and expressive, with hand movements, body rolls, and hair flips. Songs with a strong beat, catchy hook, or dramatic moment, especially at the beginning, tend to work well."
He continues, "What really matters is that all ages and skill levels feel confident trying them out."
Arthur believes that TikTok has benefited the dance community for the better. "With dance all over user's For You pages and reels feeds all the time, I don't think there's a time in recent history when people were seeing dance and connecting with it every day of their lives before social media. It's incredible. TikTok has not only made dance more accessible and global than ever before, but it's given everyone a chance to express themselves through movement."
The key, according to Arthur, is the platform's democratization of dance: "TikTok has transformed dance, making it more accessible, more inclusive, and more global than ever before. You don't have to be a professional dancer or have studio space to make an impact. All you need is a phone, a catchy song, and a bit of creativity. I think it's beautiful."
According to both Matthew and Arthur, Irish audiences gravitate toward dance trends that incorporate fun, energy, and a touch of cultural flair: "Trends that bring people together, like group dances, easy-to-follow routines, or ones with a bit of humor often take off in Ireland."
Matthew adds, "We love it when Irish music or tradition is incorporated in the trends. It's a mix of cultural pride and playfulness that resonates intensely with the Irish."
Still, Matthew maintains, "Going viral is a bit of both – strategy and luck. You can prepare, be consistent, and stay creative, but sometimes, the magic of social media lies in being in the right place at the right time with the right feel."
TikTok's influence as a music discovery platform is undeniable, with 84% of songs that entered Billboard's Global 200 chart found their first success on TikTok last year. Irrespective of the format, TikTok has played a pivotal role in propelling emerging talent to the global stage, providing a platform for artists to gain global recognition.
In 2022, KhakiKid from Dublin went viral with his single "Date Nite" featuring Saint Demarcus on TikTok. The song found a massive audience and even caught the attention of Grammy-nominated artist Jessie Reyez. The track was streamed over half a million times on Spotify and gained the No. 40 spot on the Irish music charts, solidifying KhakiKid's status as a rising star in the Irish music scene.
Rebecca sees the spotlight on emerging Irish talent as a broader appreciation and demand for authentic, homegrown artistry on a worldwide scale: "For the last two years, it has been the Irish actors that have dominated the Oscars. But it's Irish musicians that are the talk of the town right now – especially those celebrating the Gaeltacht culture."
"We've got so many strong ones like Florence Road, KhakiKid, and numerous other upcoming artists who are tactfully carving their niche in the music industry. TikTok has undoubtedly smashed barriers for emerging artists and given them an opportunity they wouldn't have on traditional platforms."
- The sudden virality of the "Take a Sexy Picture of Me" dance trend on TikTok, made popular by the song "Woke Macarena" by CMAT, showcases how music can impact entertainment and contribute to pop-culture discussions on social media.
- According to Matthew Gardiner, one-half of Irish dancing duo The Gardiner Brothers, popular songs from various eras, such as The Bee Gees, perform well on TikTok, demonstrating how music from different genres and generations can influence social media trends and entertainment platforms.
