FAQ’s

At Twerk Team USA, we proudly honor and celebrate the rich culture of twerking. A movement deeply rooted in Black history. Our mission is to preserve the legacy of this art form by teaching technique with style, credibility and respect for its origins.

We understand that twerking is more than just a dance style, it is a cultural statement, a celebration of the body, and a powerful tool of empowerment for women. While our team focus is precision, energy, and flair, we are committed to educating our community. The love we have for this style fuels to motivate women of all backgrounds and body types to embrace, appreciate and celebrate their bodies unapologetically.

For over seven years, we have stayed true to this mission and building a space that uplifts, educates, and empowers and we have no intention of slowing down.

  • Twerking is an energetic dance style that has become popular in today’s culture. Although for many people twerking is just a movement of the hips, it has deep historical roots. Let’s look at the history of this fascinating dance.

  • Twerking is a style of dance that focuses on rhythmic, isolated hip movements. The term typically refers to movements where the hips are shaken, popped, or bounced, often in a squat position. What is twerking dance then? It combines dance techniques, highlighting the lower body’s flexibility, strength, and rhythm. Despite its playful, party-style image, twerking is actually a highly athletic and expressive form of movement.

  • The answer lies in the rich dance traditions of West Africa. Twerking origins can be traced to dances like Mapouka from Côte d’Ivoire, where isolated hip movements are used in ceremonies, celebrations, and community gatherings. These movements weren’t created for sexual purposes—they were cultural, symbolic, and celebratory.

  • No single person. Who created twerking is better understood as a question of collective cultural expression. Many African tribes developed hip-based dances centuries ago. When Africans were enslaved and brought to the Americas, these traditions evolved, mixed with other cultural influences, and eventually became the foundation for dances in Caribbean and Southern U.S. communities.

  • Twerking dance in modern pop culture began in the 1990s in New Orleans, where the bounce music scene emerged. This high-energy genre featured female dancers performing fast-paced hip movements, now known as twerking. So, who started twerking in popular culture? While countless performers contributed, DJ Jubilee is often credited with using the term “twerk” in his 1993 song “Do the Jubilee All.”

  • When did twerking become popular on a global scale? That happened in the early 2010s, mainly due to viral videos and celebrities incorporating twerking into performances. Pop stars like Beyoncé, Rihanna, and, most notably, Miley Cyrus brought twerking to mainstream stages. Social media platforms like YouTube and TikTok amplified their reach, turning twerking into a worldwide trend.

  • Many people ask, what is the purpose of twerking, or why do people twerk? For some, it’s pure fun. For others, it’s a way to express confidence, femininity, or cultural pride. Twerking can also be a form of release, both emotional and physical. In African tradition, it was often used in spiritual or fertility rituals, and even today, dancers describe twerking as empowering and liberating.

  • This has less to do with the dance itself and more to do with Western perceptions. When African and Caribbean cultural elements are viewed through a Eurocentric lens, they’re often misunderstood or over-sexualized. Although rooted in cultural expression, Twerking is frequently misrepresented in mainstream entertainment.

  • While some conservative views label it inappropriate, others recognize it as a legitimate and empowering form of artistic expression. Whether it’s a sin or not often depends on cultural, religious, and personal beliefs.

  • Yes, and deeply so. It is part of African, Caribbean, and Southern African-American traditions. It symbolizes freedom, resilience, and joy. When examined with cultural context, twerking reflects a rich history of dance that transcends generations and borders.