Sturdy
what it means
"Doing the sturdy" is the dance; "that's sturdy" describes anything done with committed, exaggerated energy.
A Philadelphia street dance style, and the adjective for doing something with force and confidence.
the origin story
A dance that emerged from Philadelphia around 2021, tied to the city's club and drill music scenes, which spread nationally through TikTok.
It became one of the most-copied dances on the platform and, unusually, kept a strong association with its city of origin. The adjectival use grew out of the dance's exaggerated, planted movements.
in the wild
Everyone at the party started doing the sturdy.
It's been three years, it won't die.
He walked in like he owned the place.
Sturdy entrance.
how to use it
- Talking about the dance
- Describing confident, exaggerated movement
- Discussing Philadelphia's influence on internet culture
- In the ordinary English sense without clarifying
- Professionally
- Where the dance reference won't land
related terms
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