The 21 most popular TikTok dances in 2021 (2024)

TikTok is all about finding what’s trending right now. Whether it’s the latest fashion or sweet new coffee flavors, you’ll find everything on this app. And naturally, you can’t talk about TikTok trends without talking about the dances.

Think you can’t dance? Well, think again! Especially when it comes to some of these easy-to-learn dances currently trending on the platform. This article has everything you need to know about the 21 most popular dance challenges trending on TikTok in 2021.

The 3 most popular TikTok dances in 2021

Every dance has a story of how it rose to popularity. But these are the top 3 most popular TikTok dances for the year.

1. Stay

Set to the wildly popular song by Kid Laroi and Justin Beiber, “Stay,” this dance will have you shaking your hips and spinning your camera all around. Thankfully, it’s also one of the easiest dances on this list to try to do.

2. Fancy Like

This dance, like the song, is all about making the best of what you’ve got. Fancy Like has been a trending dance for most of the year, but it even made the jump from TikTok to TV when the restaurant chain Applebees used videos from the app for their commercials.

3. Ski Mask The Slump God

The final dance to round out the top three for 2021 is this one for the song “Ski Mask The Slump God.” This one is a masterclass in playing with different timings that will have you holding moves for extra counts and then picking back up to the song’s syncopation.

The TikTok dances in 2021 that are still trending

Trends come, and trends go. It’s hard to stay on top of them because there are just too many all the time. But don’t worry — we’ve put together a list of dances from the past year that are still getting views on TikTok.

4. I Like to Move It

While the I Like to Move It dance doesn’t require having someone else shuffle along with you, it doesn’t hurt to have a dance partner or two join in. And don’t forget to make sure you have enough of an open path to shuffle through for your video.

5. The Whole Shack Shimmy

The Whole Shack Shimmy is a dance set to a mashup of Britney Spears’s “Toxic” and The B-52s’ “Love Shack.” The choreography is exactly what you’d expect from a song with such a combination. It’s a fun dance that requires an awful lot of coordination. And it’s always worth a watch when you stumble across one of these videos in the app.

6. Staying Alive Mashup

Another dance set to a surprising mashup of 50 Cent’s “In Da Club” and The BeeGees’ “Staying Alive.” The track itself has a fun groove that makes you want to get down. But the choreography is the real star here. The important thing is to have an effortless chill when filming this dance.

7. Talkin’ Bout

Think you can get low? This dance set to the song “Talkin’ Bout” will have you doing just that. It’s definitely on the harder side of TikTok dances, but if you can pull it off, the sharp movements and precise timing will make this a video that gets, well, talked about.

8. Unwritten Remix

The video for the Unwritten Remix really lives up to the adage “the more, the merrier.” But you can definitely do this shufflin’ by yourself, too. It’s a lot of fun, and the upbeat remix will get your heart pumping.

9. Up

Cardi B’s “Up” sets the track for this dance challenge. And trust us when we say it’s not for the faint of heart. But this video featuring a mom and daughter pulling it off just goes to show that you don’t always have to stick precisely to the choreography to have a great time in your dance videos.

10. Domino Lover

Not to be confused with the pizza chain, this dance challenge is set to the popular song from Jessie J, “Domino.” This one does require a dance partner, but don’t worry, it doesn’t have to be someone you’re in love with. Just someone who will support you being silly and having a fun time doing it.

The best TikTok dances in 2021 that are easy to learn

Now that you’ve seen a few examples of what’s trending, we’re sure you’re ready to jump in and start shaking what your mama gave ya. But before you dive into the deep end, check out this list of the easier dances that have been trending throughout 2021.

11. Iko Iko

Don’t be intimidated by how long this dance is compared to some of the others on this list. Just grab your bestie and take it one move at a time. We guarantee you’ll have fun while trying to do it.

12. Kiss Me More

Set to Doja Cat’s song “Kiss Me More,” this challenge is a lot of fun and all about the big swinging movements. The nice thing about choreography like this is that it doesn’t require you to be very exact or precise, meaning you can flub it up a little. Just add a bit of flair to make it all seem intentional.

13. Church Bells

This dance for Carrie Underwood’s song “Church Bells” is hands down the easiest one on our list. In fact, it’s only for the intro of the song, and it’s only 6 dance moves.

14. Siren Beat

The Siren Beat is actually a challenge that started in 2020 and has continued to stay trending throughout 2021. It’s a fun dance and one that you could probably pick up in an afternoon.

15. Cut the Check

The Cut the Check challenge might take a little longer to pick up, but this is some exciting choreography with nothing too difficult. There are just a lot of steps to remember.

16. Out West

Go ahead and go out west with this fun dance challenge. Most of the choreography is pretty simple, and it’s set to a tempo that makes the moves even easier to pick up.

17. Beggin

If you’re looking for a dance that will get you moving, look no further than this choreography set to the song “Beggin’.” It’s got big arm movements that will have you grooving from side to side.

18. Unlock It

The choreography for Unlock It (Lock it) is all about shaking everything from your hair to your hips. And don’t worry about not having enough hair to whip back and forth. There’s still plenty of fun to be had with this dance, even without flowing locks.

19. To the Back

To the Back is another fun dance to get you moving. The moves themselves are not really tricky for this song, although there are a lot of them, and they all happen pretty fast.

20. Easy Dance

Just like its name promises, the Easy Dance is a simple shuffle that will get you bouncing to the beat. Still, it might take a few tries to pick up. But once you get this one down, we bet you won’t be able to stop bopping around your house.

21. What You Know Bout Love

Can you snap your fingers? How about drawing a heart in the air? Do you think you can sway your shoulders from side to side? Then you can already do this dance. This is some really simple choreography set to Pop Smoke’s “What You Know Bout Love.”

When most people think of TikTok, the first thing that comes to mind is the wide collection of dance videos shared on the platform. Every day, there’s a new dance challenge being started. And there’s always great content for you to try to learn and put your own spin on. But the most important thing is all the fun you can be having while you’re making these videos. Even if you never post your videos, learning one of these dances is a great way to kill a couple of hours.