Briefly on twerking

Reportedly, it all started when a youtube video was shared in which Miley Cyrus, dressed in one-piece pajamas, shakes her buttocks to the beat of the song "The Wop." Since then, the singer has increasingly practiced this dance - not only in her videos, but also at concerts.

It was then that interest in an unfamiliar style for many people - twerking - increased at an electrifying pace. Unfortunately, many dancers have no idea where twerking actually comes from. It is worth adding that it is not a new dance because it has existed in the culture of black people for years - before that it was not so publicized.

Twerking is an individual style of dance in which female dancers perform provocative and very sexy hip movements while shaking their buttocks. The basic position in which the shaking should be performed - to the beat of the music, of course - is the half squat. Like most similar dances, this one too has its roots in traditional African dances. It is performed wherever there are people of African descent - after all, they have it in their blood. One thing is for sure - twerking is often associated as a faction of a dance called bounce.
If those interested took even a little time to explore the history of twerking they would learn that its origins are in West Africa. It is worth mentioning that it bears a striking resemblance to a dance called Mapouka, which originated in the Ivory Coast. And in this case, it is performed by women who focus on the buttocks.

Depending on which prism we look at twerking through, it can be interpreted differently. Following this line and looking through the prism of the West, it will be seen as a sexual, scandalous and controversial dance. When placed in its original context, it turns out to be a celebratory rather than provocative style that expresses joy in a very cultured way. It is very often performed at important events, such as family celebrations or weddings.

As everyone is already well aware, thanks to Miley Cyrus, more and more people have become interested in twerking. In truth, the dance performed by her cannot really be called twerking. I encourage you to watch the Twerk Team's videos - the girls really know their stuff and do a great job presenting a 100% twerk. Looking at the example of Miley, I think that, despite everything, black women are directly created to perform this style. There is no denying that this is their element, for which many white women do not have the so-called knack. Fortunately, more and more European women dancing feel what it's all about and it comes out really well.

Currently twerking turns out to be an extremely fashionable dance, many girls want to learn it just to be on top. However, it should be remembered that it has a rich cultural heritage that many people live by. For this reason, it should be respected as much as the people who identify with it because of their background - for many it is not just another trend that will pass in time, but a way of expressing emotions or a way of life.