Thinking on their feet

Viral moves, hook steps, even fakers. Insta has changed how dance evolves. See how creators stay on their toes

- Karishma Kuenzang

On the 'gram, we're all just one viral Reel away from fame. On the 'gram, moonwalks, shuffles and grand jetés look doable. On the 'gram, the algorithm tap-dances from one trend to the next. On the 'gram, group dances often get cropped out of the vertical frame. Three choreographers talk about what being on the 'gram really means for those dancing and those watching.

Aarushi Vikram, 28, Delhi
@Aarushi Vikram23

Everything is about content creation, so obviously, dance is too. Vikram's Insta features moves for beginners and experienced folks. It's more strategy than self-expression, she says."You have to market yourself in a saturated field. Dancers need to think as content creators do: What's viral right now? What's going to get people dancing? What viral step can you incorporate in your choreography?"

Short-form content plays better on mobile screens. So she's tweaked her web choreography to be quicker, with moves people can pause and replicate. Hook steps have been around forever. But new generations discover classic ones and try to follow suit. So, it's a mix of old and new genres.