What Is It With The Dab?
August 18, 2017
You’re on stage. You’ve just finished singing your hit song and the crowd goes wild. So you do what any other artist on stage might do. You dab. Five seconds later, security is clambering on stage. Did you happen to miss a crazed fan? No. You are about to be arrested because you dabbed. And in Saudi Arabia, dabbing is illegal, and this actually took place. So where did this dance move start? And how on Earth did it get so popular? First, let’s dispel a few myths.
It isn’t named after a man named Dabo. This rumor originated when a football player named Cam Newton scored a touchdown and celebrated with “The Dab,” named after Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney.” Or so Fox News said. The dab was actually around long before that. Sorry, Fox.
So where did this random dance move really start? Our journey begins in Georgia. The exact creator of the dab is unclear, but it has circulated the internet thanks to Atlanta rappers Jose Guapo and Migos. It was popularized by football player Cam Newton, who was celebrating a touchdown. Songs using the term inevitably followed, notably “Dab Daddy” and “Look at My Dab” by Migos the rapper. Now, we see people of all ages doing it.
Its popularity is in its simplicity. According to Darylle Johnson, “For the same reason that the Running Man & Nae Nae are/were popular. These moves are easy enough for many people to do and are ‘catchy.’ Hip Hop Dance is generally new in relation to classical styles, and these ‘party grooves’ and moves will continue to be added to the vocabulary and history of this dance style.”
Dabbing is catchy, simple, and fun. So the next time you get an ‘A’ on a test (or a B or a C -you know, if that’s your thing), don’t feel ashamed to show your pride and dab on it. Unless you’re in Saudi Arabia.