Evolution of Dance
Judson Laipply's medley of dance crazes — one of YouTube's earliest mega-hits and a time capsule of pre-TikTok dance virality.
A stage routine where Judson Laipply dances through decades of hit songs. Symbol of early YouTube 'must-watch' culture before algorithmic short-form dance apps.
History
Uploaded April 2006; Evolution of Dance became one of YouTube's most-viewed videos in the platform's first years (Know Your Meme).
Cultural scores
Editorial estimates of cultural weight — Current Popularity tracks how much people are posting about this now, not historical fame.
Current Popularity = how actively people are posting about this today. Influence = lasting footprint. Cringe = online reception. Brainrot = absurdist energy. Scores last reviewed 2026-07-25. How scoring works
Timeline
Apr 6, 2006
Evolution of Dance uploaded to YouTube
2006–08
Ranks among YouTube's most-viewed videos worldwide
Later
Cited as a founding viral-performance milestone
Examples
- “Referencing Evolution of Dance as proto-TikTok dance culture”
- “Nostalgia compilations of early YouTube #1 videos”
- “Office party reenactments of the medley”
Media
Related entries
Culturally linked — not random recommendations.
YouTube Rewind
EventYouTube's annual year-in-review spectacle — from celebration of platform culture to the internet's favorite thing to hate-watch.
Charlie Bit My Finger
MemeThe 2007 British home video of Harry and baby Charlie — 'Charlie bit me' — one of YouTube's defining early viral hits.
Leave Britney Alone
MemeCara Cunningham's tearful 2007 plea to leave Britney Spears alone — peak early-YouTube melodrama and remix bait.
Shoes
MemeLiam Kyle Sullivan as Kelly — the 2006 'Shoes' music-video comedy that became one of YouTube's first comedy mega-hits.
Gangnam Style
MemePSY's 2012 K-pop anthem that became the first YouTube video to reach one billion views — and unleashed a global horse-dance craze.
Harlem Shake
MemeThe 30-second video format that broke YouTube in early 2013 — one person dances alone, then chaos erupts.
References
Sources behind this entry. Prefer primary reporting and established culture archives over rumor.
- Evolution of Dance — Know Your Meme
knowyourmeme.com