How to Do the Toc Toc Dance, Step by Step

The dance stays in one spot. One dancer lifts a knee, holds both arms out to the sides, and bounces as the knock lands. There is no travel across the floor and no partner. The whole routine fits in a small room, which is why it became a home-video trend.

1. Set the stance. Stand with your feet about shoulder-width apart and your knees soft.
2. Lift one knee. Bring the knee up toward the beat while both arms stay out.
3. Bounce on the knock. Drop the foot and let the bounce land with the knock, not after it.
4. Switch sides. Repeat the lift and the bounce on the other leg without stepping away.

Listen for the knock, not the melody. The knee lift lands on the knock and the bounce follows immediately. Count four knocks as one cycle, then switch legs on the next cycle.

Start slower than you think you need. Once the foot returns on time, the speed comes back without making the take look rushed.

• Lifting the knee too high and losing balance. Keep the lift low enough that the foot returns on time.
• Locking the arms. Keep a small bend in the elbows so the shoulders can move with the bounce.
• Rushing the bounce. The bounce is the beat, not an extra move; let it land with the knock.

Film vertically and leave room above the head and below the feet. Put the camera at about waist height, use one light source in front of you, and keep the background clear. Record the audio separately if you plan to edit, because phone microphones pick up room noise.

If you want the clip without learning the timing, upload one photo to the toc toc dance generator. The prepared template supplies the knee lift, the arm position, the bounce and the original audio. You only choose the photo.