Are you looking for new moves to impress your peers on the dance floor? Well, take a look back in time for a retro revival. It’s amazing how many of today’s hottest movements originate from something else. Take ‘tutting’ for example, today it is classified as a form of ‘pop’, but it originated several decades ago based on the geometric body language represented by the ancient Egyptians in hieroglyphics. The name comes from modern culture’s favorite pharaoh, the ever-popular King Tut.
Tutting exploits the body’s ability to create geometric shapes and movements, usually in the form of right angles. It is done with attention to the rhythm of the music and is classified as a simple dance, which is quite easy to learn. There are plenty of YouTube videos that provide hands-on instructions if you’re interested in learning the moves. While tutting stays true to its popping nature, the dance has since evolved and now includes much larger full-body movements and small finger movements as well.
Tutting has figured big in popular culture, from The Bangles’ ‘Walk like an Egyptian video’ to Michael Jackson’s hugely popular video for ‘Remember the Time’. He can also be seen in Madonna’s well-known ‘Vogue’ video and even in today’s modern pop choreography. However, one of the most popular and closely related interpretations of tutting is Steve Martin’s comic sketch of ‘King Tut’. The comedian, who made his name on Saturday Night Live, paid tribute to the famous King Tutankhamun and has since immortalized the dance.
Tutting is a simple dance form that anyone with a basic rhythm can pick up very quickly. So start ‘walking like an Egyptian’ and start practicing your moves!
