Senior Dancers Perform ‘Loveliest’ Twist Dance To Chubby Checker Classic

Apr 29, 2022 by apost team

Chubby Checker’s “Let's Twist Again” is a classic song that has been delighting listeners since it was first released in 1961. In a 2015 video that's recently resurfaced on the internet, a beginner dance group — choreographed by Karen Tripp — put an entirely new spin on the decades-old hit. 

Although it may make you feel a little old to think about it, the popular dance move sensation, the Twist, is now over 60 years old! But despite its age, this dance is as fun as it ever was, which is probably why it has lasted in popular culture for so long.

Jumping on a dance-craze trend is nothing new, but it is always exciting to see what new or surprising skills everyday folks have up their sleeves when it comes to joining these challenges. It’s even more fun to watch people from all walks of life hop on these trends. While some people like to go all out for their viral moment and may even rent out a stage for their performance in front of an excited audience, the dancing group featured in the recirculated viral video kept their routine simple, yet extremely memorable.

In this popular video, a group of 11 performers showed off their dance moves by performing a brand-new version of the Twist that takes the form of a country line dance. Along with one man — who we imagined was tricked into taking this dance class by his wife — this group of women, who all look to be in their 40s and older, show that they still have all the right moves.

When it comes to rock and roll, Checker is a pretty notable figure. However, he is most famous for popularizing many dance styles – something that he has been doing since nearly the start of his career in the late 1950s.

Some of his most memorable dance styles and moves include the iconic dance referred to as the Twist, which stemmed from a 1960 cover of Hank Ballard and The Midnighters’ song appropriately titled “The Twist.” Checker also popularized another dance known as the Pony dance, which was inspired by his 1961 cover of the song “Pony Time.” 

To this day, he is still recognized for his work in the entertainment industry, and many people still enjoy moving and grooving to the hit song “Let’s Twist Again,” even though it was first released 60 years ago in 1962. The tune is popular with people of all ages, including a group of middle-aged and older performers.

This country line dance was choreographed by Tripp, and the dance was set to the song “Let’s Twist Again” by Checker, who made the dance famous. While definitely not a super fast-moving dance, these women are all clearly very good dancers who are up for the challenge of this choreography. In fact, one YouTube commenter was so impressed they said, “I’m 17 and this grandma is faster than me.”

The video description says that this is a beginner-level line dance, and while it may not be the most complicated dance there ever was, it still includes four walls, which is line dance slang for what direction a dancer is facing, and 32 counts. 

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In the video, these talented ladies (and one talented guy!) slide to the right, to the left, clap, turn, twist and do so in perfect unison!

This line dance version of the Twist certainly took us back to the days of dance halls and good times. As a dance craze, the Twist began to gain momentum in the late 1950s, before it reached the height of its popularity in 1960, according to ThoughtCo.

Although fairly tame by today’s standards, the Twist, at the time, was thought to be incredibly provocative. All those shimmying and twisting hips! Oh my! So scandalous! Those days, rock and roll was still in its infancy, and young adults everywhere were looking for small ways to be just a bit rebellious.

We can only imagine what critics of yore would say about grinding and twerking! But all dances have their time and place, and modern and vintage dances are all appreciated here.

One thing is for sure, however, we definitely want to try out this line dance version of the twist, especially as it could give us something to do whenever we are feeling bored or need a slight pick me up while at home. It’s never too late to learn a new move or two – or in this case, a dance style that hearkens back to the 1960s.

This fun video has been viewed over 1.35 million times and received countless likes, and we totally understand why. One commenter expressed exactly what we all felt when they said, “This is the loveliest thing ever.”

What do you think of this incredible line dance version of the Twist? Does it bring back memories of when you first heard the song “Let's Twist Again?” What other classic songs or dance moves do you think should get this line dance treatment? Let us know and pass this on so that your friends don't miss out!