The "Anxiety" Dance Trend Is Taking Over TikTok, And It's Just So Darn Catchy
Even if you're not on TikTok often, you might recognize the dance moves.
Published March 15 2025, 10:22 a.m. ET
Dance trends on TikTok are exactly the kind of upbeat escapism the world needs amid everything going on. The 21st century seems determined to fling "once in a lifetime" world-changing events at a mile a minute, and people's anxiety has skyrocketed as a result.
On TikTok, "Anxiety" is the name of the game. Doechii's song "Anxiety," that is. The "Anxiety" dance trend has taken over TikTok, and it's one of the best so far, if you ask us. Not only is it simple enough that almost everyone can learn it, but there's a little "Easter egg" for fans of the 90s hit series Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.
Here's the scoop.
The anxiety TikTok dance trend is everywhere, and you'll be tapping your toes soon if you aren't already.
The "Anxiety" trend on TikTok involves at least two people, or a person and their digitally copied self.
The steps of the dance are as such:
- Person 1 is dancing along to Doechii's "Anxiety." Usually, they have headphones on and face the camera.
- Another person (Person 2), multiple people, or a digital copy of the original dancer, then walks into the screen, with Person 1 still facing away from them.
- Person 2 observes Person 1 dancing, then begins to imitate their dance moves as they stand behind them.
- One part of the dance involves Person 1 turning around to discover Person 2 vibing along with them.
- From there, they both dance together to the remainder of the song clip.
It's fairly straightforward, and people have adapted several of the dance parts to fit their individual needs or situations.
The person who first launched the dance trend is debatable, but if the dance itself looks a little familiar and you can't quite put your finger on it, we're willing to bet you watched Fresh Prince at some point.
One artist's response to the trend is breaking the internet.
The original Fresh Prince, of course, was none other than actor and musical performer Will Smith. In the series, his cousin Ashley Banks, is standing in her room, listening to music on her headphones, and dancing while facing away from the door.
Will walks in, observes her dancing, then joins in. Sound familiar?
And to the delight of fans everywhere, Will Smith himself got in on the trend in an internet-breaking series of videos that had even Max (formerly HBO Max) and Hulu commenting on the actor's TikToks.
In his own version of the trend, Tatyana Ali, who played Ashley Banks, is dancing to "Anxiety" while wearing headphones and facing away. Just as in the original television clip, Will walks on screen, notes Tatiyana's moves, and joins in.
But then, Doechii herself, the musical innovator behind "Anxiety," jumps in and joins the duo in their iconic dance. Hulu declared that Will, Tatiyana, and Doechii "officially won the trend."
People may frequently bemoan the state of the world and the heaviness everyone has felt since 2020. But there's something heartwarming and inspiring about TikTok dance trends. It helps people feel like they're part of something global, connect to people they've never met before, and celebrate the art of being human.
We're off to practice our moves.