By SARAH SMAGUR
Living/Athens Editor

With spring formal right around the corner, many students are excited to show off their killer dance moves. Many new dance fads have come about in the past year, and some come with a very interesting look. So before formal, here are some moves you might need to know so you can impress everyone on the dance floor.

Gangnam Style
With over 1 billion views on YouTube, this is by far one of the silliest looking dance fads to date.
The premise of the dance, created by Korean pop star Psy, is to throw your hands in front of you as though holding reigns to a horse and gallop across the dance floor. Of course there are a few extra moves thrown in, but this is the most iconic step from the popular song.

Harlem Shake
While most popular throughout 2013, the Harlem Shake is still alive and well. The purpose of this dance is to wait for the beat to drop and go crazy. Millions of videos flooded the Internet, including several from Piedmont College, depicting one person who begins the video doing something unconventional in a scene of people acting as though nothing is happening. As soon as the beat comes in, the video changes to a scene of complete chaos where for whatever reason, someone is always in a sleeping bag. Now, this dance has become popular to play, letting those participating do their own thing, and show off their own unique style.

“The Wobble”
“The Wobble” has remained a popular dance for years. People literally wobble back and forth during the dance, accompanied by some moves which look like shoveling. This is a great dance for a large group that everyone seems to know. If you’ve never seen “the Wobble” in action, be sure to check it out before you head to formal, because I’m sure you can expect to see this dance.

Twerking
Miley Cyrus made twerking famous after her performance at the 2013 Video Music Awards where she and Robin Thicke taught the dance to the masses. This dance requires some serious gluteus maximus muscles. While often thought of as a vulgar dance, twerking has become a viral sensation. The dance, not for the faint of heart, is performed by bending your knees and shaking your butt as rapidly as possible while keeping the top half of your body straight. Though looked down upon by many, this dance actually requires some serious skill. Many people across the internet have taken its premise to the next level, twerking upside down, on walls, underwater, and in grocery stores. Twerking followers have banded together, becoming the “twerk team” and twerking for the camera. While there is no specific song that involves twerking, I’m sure someone at formal will be showing off their abilities.

Dougie
Every time I think the Dougie is gone for good, it makes a comeback and becomes one of the most recognizable dances to date. The song by Cali Swag District, “Teach me how to Dougie,” was released in 2011, and has been an iconic dance move ever since. The dance features leaning, leg and arm wiggling and a movement similar to that of scratching your head. Though I have seen the dougie many times, I still haven’t been able to remember the steps or what order they go in.

Nay Nay
The nay nay is one of my new favorite dance, by far. You just throw your arm up into the air and wave it back and forth. While you may look a tad ridiculous it is, in my opinion, one of the most fun dances that has come about recently.
If you aren’t a fan of any of the aforementioned dances, feel free to revert to a classic move, or do your own thing.
Our parents were on to something with the dances that depict everyday tasks. If you’re at a loss, just start doing pretend chores. You know what I’m talking about – take out the trash, mow the grass, be a sprinkler, go to the grocery store – those are always a crowd hit.
You can always do what I do before attending a dance and watch the scene from the movie “Hitch” where Will Smith teaches Kevin James how to dance. Trust me, there are some hidden gems to bring out the dance machine in anyone.
If you have a dance that you love, or want to show off any moves talked about in the article, be sure to tweet us your videos @piedmontroar, and use the hashtag #bustamove. We would love to see them!