What does “get sturdy” mean? Viral TikTok dance trend explained

If you spend time scrolling on TikTok, or simply on the internet in general, you’re likely to run into people “getting sturdy” by dancing. But what does “getting sturdy” mean? Here’s everything you need to know.

There are millions of viral videos across TikTok, Twitter, and YouTube, of people dancing. A particular subsection of these videos involves hopping from foot to foot, dropping spins, and testing the limits of their knees — all to the bassy beats of drill music.

This hip-hop dance, which seems to have originated in New York, is called “getting sturdy.” Typically, popular videos of the dance are accompanied by comments like “Oh these MFs sturdy with it” and “better knees than Meg Thee Stallion.”

While the exact beginning of this trend is hard to pinpoint, there’s nonetheless some context available for those who are curious about what this means.

What does “getting sturdy” mean?

Essentially, getting sturdy is an evolution of the “Woo Walk,” which was popularized by New York’s Pop Smoke. As anyone who’s seen someone dancing to Pop Smoke’s “Dior” song will know, the dance includes having one hand outstretched and one on the front of your belt, while primarily stepping in rhythm.

When done properly, the dance does look fairly sturdy. The dancer’s torso remains rigidly upright while adding on a series of spins, drops, hops, and other moves — some similar to the “voguing” of the 1980s.

As far as the origin of the term, you can also look directly at Pop Smoke’s “Dior.” In the song’s early lyrics, the rapper says “Oh, you feelin’ sturdy, huh?”

What are the best songs to get sturdy to?

Unsurprisingly, the default anthem for getting sturdy and the “Woo Dance” is none other than “Dior.” The song literally says “sturdy,” and “woo,” and has the heavy, underlying bass needed for the smooth stepping.

Other popular songs to get sturdy include those by New York drill artists Kay Flock and Rah Gzz.

At this point, though, the dance and the music are no longer restricted solely to the Big Apple. Thanks, in part, to YouTube tutorials by Kai Cenat and others — the energy has spread across the country and even into video games like Elden Ring.