TikTok users may overlook the platform's oft-misunderstood "dance app" label, but every now and then a catchy dance comes along that might make you want to go back to the early days of your five-year plan. Combine that nostalgia with a Taylor Swift hit, and you've got viral gold. The latest TikTok trend is "The Bejeweled Strut," which anyone can try whether they're a dancer, a Swiftie, both, or neither.
You probably know by now that Taylor Swift released her tenth studio album , Midnights, on October 21st. It includes 13 songs inspired by several "sleepless nights" in Swift's life. Since its release, Swift has made history by monopolizing the entire Billboard Top 10 for a week. She is the first artist in Billboard's 64-year history to receive this honor. Unsurprisingly, the album quickly became fodder for lyric analysis, Instagram captions and TikTok videos.
"Bejeweled" is the ninth song on the album and one of the more upbeat songs in the lineup. One specific part of the song includes the lyrics "I miss you/But I miss the sparkle/Best believe I'm still smitten with gems/When I walk into a room/I can still make the whole place sparkle," and is getting a TikTok Thanks to user @mikaelarellano for the treatment.
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In the video posted on Oct. 22, Arellano "choreographed" a dance to Swift lyrics that was more of a whimsical swagger — something people on TikTok can't get enough of. The original post had more than 600,000 likes and 3,000 comments, including "This is the official Bejeweled dance and everyone who agrees says yes" and "This is exactly what Bejeweled feels like." The hashtags #bejweledstrut and #bejeweledwalk have 6.8 million and 317,400 views respectively.
If you're a TikTok user, you might recognize Arellano from his viral "Euphoria" lip-sync video (he's best known for his impersonation of unhinged queen Cassie Howard in the "Gem" remake on October 26 His shirt in the " Bewilderment " walking video proves this). His pages are the most wholesome mixture of dance, sarcasm, performance and overall fun and he's legitimately inspired others to try his moves.
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The "dance" is very simple and involves dramatic arm movements, strutting, turning and jazzy hands. Despite the ease of it all, those who are self-reliant will certainly appreciate the Arellano dance.
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Influencer (and outspoken Swift) Colleen Ballinger jumped on the trend and surprised her unsuspecting husband with a show of pride.
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Another popular creator, Rodger Cleye, strayed from his typical singing content and tried his hand at a Bejeweled walkthrough.
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Charmingly simple choreography makes it a fun dance for all ages, as @laurahfritz and @grandadfrankk demonstrate in their version of the Bejeweled trend.
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Ready to show off your sparkle? Find a good place to set up your phone and relax your jazzy hands. If you need to, you can watch Arellano's video a few times to make sure you've mastered the move, but I have a feeling you can get it right on the first try.
