Everything felt like it was ending in March 2020. You remember, right? We were all suddenly stuck in our kitchens, staring at our phones, trying to figure out how to be "productive" while the world outside hit a terrifying pause button. But then, something weirdly beautiful happened on TikTok. A specific cocktail of songs and movements—specifically the Something New challenge and Megan Thee Stallion’s Savage—became the unofficial heartbeat of the lockdown.
People call it the "coronavirus tiktok dance" era, but it wasn't just one dance. It was a mashup of survival, boredom, and a desperate need to feel connected through a screen.
The Family Soul Train: Wiz Khalifa’s "Something New"
The Something New challenge was the ultimate "bored at home with my parents" anthem. Originally released in 2017 by Wiz Khalifa featuring Ty Dolla $ign, the song didn't actually explode until the pandemic forced families into the same 20-foot radius.
The dance was simple. It was basically a modernized Soul Train line. One person would do a little shoulder shimmy, clap to the beat, and then jump out of the frame so the next person could slide in. It was cute. It was wholesome. It was exactly what we needed when the news was nothing but charts and panic.
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Even celebrities like Jennifer Lopez and Alex Rodriguez (back when they were still a thing) jumped on it. It turned into a massive trend because anyone could do it—you didn't need to be a professional dancer to jump in front of a camera and look a little silly with your siblings. Honestly, the song's longevity on the app is a testament to how much we craved "normal" family interaction during those first few weeks of isolation.
Then Came the "Savage" Storm
While the Wiz Khalifa trend was for the whole family, Savage by Megan Thee Stallion was for the individuals trying to keep their sanity (and their confidence) intact. This wasn't just a catchy song; it was a cultural reset.
A 19-year-old creator named Keara Wilson (known as @keke.janajah) posted a video of herself doing a choreographed routine to the chorus: "Classy, bougie, ratchet / Sassy, moody, nasty." She didn't just make a dance; she created a viral sensation that eventually led to her receiving the actual copyright for those moves. That’s huge. It changed how we think about ownership in the digital age.
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The "Savage" challenge was harder than "Something New." It required actual rhythm. You had to hit the claps, the hip sways, and the final pose perfectly. Megan herself eventually learned the dance from Keara's video, which is basically the ultimate "I made it" moment for any creator.
Why These Dances Stuck During the Pandemic
- The "Coping" Factor: We weren't just dancing. We were distracting ourselves from a global health crisis.
- Low Barrier to Entry: You only needed a phone and a few feet of floor space.
- Algorithmic Luck: The TikTok "For You Page" (FYP) became a mirror of our shared isolation. If you saw one person doing the "Savage" dance, you saw a thousand.
The Rise of the "Coronavirus" Mashups
During the peak of the 2020 lockdowns, creators started mixing these popular sounds with audio clips related to the virus. You’d hear snippets of news anchors or Cardi B’s famous "Coronavirus! It's getting real!" rant mashed into the beats of "Savage."
It sounds a bit dark looking back, doesn't it? But that’s how Gen Z processes trauma. We make a dance out of it. We take something scary and turn it into a 15-second loop that we can control. These "coronavirus tiktok dances" weren't making light of the tragedy; they were a way to bridge the gap between "the world is scary" and "I am still here."
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Beyond the Viral Moment: What We Learned
Looking at it from 2026, those dances feel like a time capsule. They represent a moment when the internet wasn't just for arguing—it was a literal lifeline.
Keara Wilson’s success with the "Savage" challenge eventually opened doors for BIPOC creators to get their "flowers" (and their legal rights) for the trends they started. It forced TikTok and the music industry to acknowledge that the person behind the screen is often the one driving the millions of streams and chart-topping hits.
Actionable Insights for Creators and Fans:
- Credit where it's due: If you're doing a viral dance, always look for the original choreographer. In the 2020 era, many Black creators were overlooked until the community fought for their recognition.
- Music as a Time Capsule: Use "Throwback" sounds to trigger nostalgia in your content. The "Something New" beat still triggers a massive dopamine hit for anyone who lived through the 2020 lockdowns.
- Simplicity Wins: The reason "Something New" worked was because it was inclusive. If you want to start a trend, make the first three seconds easy enough for a grandma to follow.
The era of the "something new x savage x coronavirus tiktok dance" wasn't just about the music. It was about how we survived the longest year of our lives by moving our bodies in tiny apartments, hoping someone on the other side of the screen was doing the same thing.