A Beginner’s Guide to Booty Popping

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Amp up your dance and workout routine with this booty-licous move
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Ready to shake what your mama gave you, but not sure how to make it pop? Booty popping, or twerking, is a fun and sexy move that anyone can perform—even if you’ve never danced before! In this article, we’ll teach you 3 variations of booty popping so you can twerk it like a pro the next time you hit the dance floor.

Things You Should Know

  • Place your hands on your hips and stand shoulder width apart. Keep your torso tall, with your toes and knees pointed outward.
  • Bend your knees into a squat position, arch your lower back, and press your thumbs into your hips to thrust forward.
  • Then, press your hips backward and pop your booty upward. Repeat this motion several times until it feels comfortable, and practice booty popping to upbeat music.
Method 1
Method 1 of 3:

How to Do the Basic Booty Pop

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  1. Put your thumbs on the back of your hip bones so you can control the movement of your hips. Keep your other fingers in front of your hips.
    • Pro tip: Dance in front of a mirror so you can watch yourself and improve your technique.
    • Put on comfortable clothing and shoes with traction. While it’s totally possible to booty pop in heels, wearing shoes with a good grip can improve your balance .
  2. Turn your toes out to a 45-degree angle and let your knees follow in the same direction. This position helps you maintain balance while you pop your booty.
    • If you want to get lower to the ground, spread your legs about 3 feet (0.91 m) apart.
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  3. As you bend your knees, pretend that you’re sitting in a chair. Shift the majority of your weight onto your toes, and keep your torso straight, shoulders back, and head up. Make sure that your knees are over your ankles to avoid hurting yourself. [1]
    • Do not hunch over when you squat—you want to keep your upper back straight when you booty pop.
  4. Curve your lower back to bring your booty upward, while keeping your upper back straight. Press your thumbs into your hip bones so your pelvis moves forward and your wrists go down. Repeat this movement several times until it feels natural.
  5. Now that you’ve got the forward movement down, repeat the same motion in the opposite direction. Keep your lower back arched, press your hips back, and pop your booty upward—similar to the Miley twerk . Repeat this movement several times until you’re comfortable, then practice moving your hips even faster. [3]
    • Focus on isolating the lower half of your body, while keeping your upper back relaxed.
  6. Push your hips forward 3 times, then push them backward 3 times. [4] Make sure to remain in a low squat and keep your toes and knees turned out. [5]
    • If you’re having trouble booty popping, repeat the previous steps until you feel comfortable pushing your hips in both directions. Remember, practice makes perfect!
  7. Now that you have the basic hip movements down, it’s time to booty pop without having your hands on your hips. [6] Position your hands so that your fingers are pointing in toward each other. Then, have fun getting low and throwing it back!
    • If you want to emphasize your movements, throw out a “Boom!” or “Bam!” each time you booty pop.
    • Feel free to switch up your hand placement—place your hands on your thighs, at your sides, or in the air. Or, drag your hands down your body to make the booty pop even sexier.
  8. Move your hips to a quick tempo to show off your new moves. If you really want to shake your booty , pop your booty upward, hold it for 2 counts, then push your hips back down.
    • If you’re struggling to pop your booty quickly, stretch your pelvis and back . This will help your body loosen up so your movements are more fluid.
  9. Turn on some electro, dance, or hip hop songs to get into the mood. Start with a song with a medium tempo, then switch to a faster tempo once you feel more comfortable. When practicing, stand in front of a mirror and angle your body to the side so you can watch your movements.
    • Popular songs to twerk or booty pop to include: “Drop It Low” by Ester Dean, “Make It Rain” by Travis Porter, “Pop That” by French Montana, and “Thot S***” by Megan Thee Stallion. [7]
    • As you continue practicing the booty pop, remove your hands from your thighs and hold them out in front of you. Try to pop on double time, moving your hips faster to the song.
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Method 2
Method 2 of 3:

How to Do the Wiggle Booty Pop

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  1. Stand in front of a mirror so you can watch your hips and booty closely. Point your toes and knees out, keep your upper body straight, and bend your knees slightly. [8]
  2. Bend forward about 45 degrees, keeping most of your weight on your toes. This movement is all about shifting your weight quickly, so make sure to stay light on your feet.
  3. Keeping the rest of your body relaxed, move your hips in a circle. Lift your right heel when your hip swings to the right side, and lift your left heel when your hip swings back to the left. Think of this movement as jumping up and down in place, while alternating the weight in your feet and shaking your booty. [9]
    • For a more subtle booty pop, press your right heel down when your hip swings to the right, and your left heel down when it swings to the left.
    • If you’re having trouble maintaining your balance, keep your hands in front of you or place them against a wall.
  4. Isolate the bottom half of your body so you're just moving your hips, legs, and booty. Shift your weight back and forth on your toes quickly so it looks like your booty is moving in a circle.
    • Turn on some upbeat twerking music and try out your new dance move!
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Method 3
Method 3 of 3:

How to Do the Handstand Booty Pop

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  1. Face away from the wall, leaving at least 2 feet (0.61 m) of space between your feet and the wall. Make sure you can see the wall in your peripheral vision to booty pop safely.
  2. Bend your knees slightly, and place your entire hand flat on the floor. Leave about a foot of space between your hands and the front of your feet, and position your fingers so they’re facing away from you.
    • Since you’re essentially doing a handstand, make sure to get a good grip on the ground.
  3. Place your booty high in the air to make it easier to get your legs on the wall. Shift most of your weight from your legs to your hands, then lift one leg up and crawl it up the wall until it feels stable. [11]
    • While one foot is on the wall, keep your other foot on the ground, keeping most of your weight on your toes.
  4. Slowly crawl your other foot up the wall to join the leg that’s already there. Keep your legs shoulder width apart on the wall, and press into your palms to help maintain your balance.
  5. Shift your weight from the ball of your foot to your toes, lifting your heels from the wall. Using the wall for balance, arch your lower back so your hips move forward and up, then hollow out your lower back so your hips move back and down. [12]
    • Continue pushing your hips in both directions to get a good upside down booty pop.
  6. Once you feel comfortable twerking upside down, speed up the booty pop and allow gravity to do the work for you. Practice moving your hips until it feels natural, turn on your favorite booty popping track, and twerk away! [13]
  7. If your arms start to get tired from booty popping, lower your legs to the ground one at a time. Move one foot back down on the wall until it reaches the floor, then repeat on the other side.
    • Bend your legs and lift your upper body up slowly until you’re back in the standing position.
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Expert Q&A

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  • Question
    How do you get your booty to pop?
    Dariusz Horvath-Krol
    Professional Ballroom Dancer & Dance Instructor
    Dariusz Horvath-Krol is a Professional Ballroom Dancer and Dance Instructor based in New York. With more than 20 years of dance experience, he specializes in ballroom dancing, hip-hop, funk, and ballet. He has also spent the last seven years performing and working with Dancing With The Stars professionals. Dariusz has received full bronze, full silver, and gold awards from The Dance Vision International Dance Association.
    Dariusz Horvath-Krol
    Professional Ballroom Dancer & Dance Instructor
    Expert Answer
    Contract your lower back muscles quickly and relax everything else in a way that your pelvis goes back as far as possible. Then, contract your lower abdominal muscles and do a pelvic tilt. Keep repeating this process and you will nail it!
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    Not Helpful 2 Helpful 7
  • Question
    Can I booty pop barefoot?
    IncredibleGuinevere
    Community Answer
    Yes, you can booty pop barefoot. You can do almost anything while barefoot.
    Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
    Thank you for your feedback.
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    Yes No
    Not Helpful 6 Helpful 30
  • Question
    How do I know that I am twerking correctly?
    Community Answer
    Take a video of yourself doing it to see if it looks right.
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      Tips

      • Don’t be too concerned about looking exactly like everyone else booty popping on the dance floor. Focus on getting comfortable with the way your body moves and don’t be afraid to make the booty pop your own by moving your hands or flipping your hair around. Have fun and enjoy yourself! [14]
        Thanks
        Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
      • If you want to booty pop or twerk on the floor, place your hands flat on the ground and walk your feet back until they’re shoulder width apart. Arch your back to lift your booty up, then move your hips forward and backward like a basic booty pop.
        Thanks
        Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
      • If your legs start to burn after an extensive booty popping session, don’t be alarmed. Booty popping is actually a very intense workout for your obliques, quads, and glutes, so take breaks to give your muscles, and your booty, time to recover.
        Thanks
        Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0

      Tips from our Readers

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      References

      1. ↑ https://youtu.be/QHSnyraEFV4?t=86
      2. ↑ Dariusz Horvath-Krol. Professional Ballroom Dancer & Dance Instructor. Expert Interview. 13 September 2021.
      3. ↑ https://youtu.be/mGuUQoXND2k?t=132
      4. ↑ Dariusz Horvath-Krol. Professional Ballroom Dancer & Dance Instructor. Expert Interview. 13 September 2021.
      5. ↑ https://youtu.be/bIJZqV1NxXk?list=PLE_Kq4EUCanL5Xuo-ZdKkbKrxIG8qHmqw&t=162
      6. ↑ Dariusz Horvath-Krol. Professional Ballroom Dancer & Dance Instructor. Expert Interview. 13 September 2021.
      7. ↑ https://www.musicgrotto.com/twerk-songs/
      8. ↑ https://youtu.be/8O8-1nA6vGI?t=186
      9. ↑ https://youtu.be/byBazdc1rsc?t=477
      1. ↑ https://youtu.be/DgreR7GF6Go?t=147
      2. ↑ https://youtu.be/DgreR7GF6Go?t=162
      3. ↑ https://youtu.be/DgreR7GF6Go?t=169
      4. ↑ https://youtu.be/DgreR7GF6Go?t=182
      5. ↑ Dariusz Horvath-Krol. Professional Ballroom Dancer & Dance Instructor. Expert Interview. 13 September 2021.

      About This Article

      Article Summary X

      Booty popping, or twerking, is fun, sexy, and a great workout for your legs and butt, so give it a try next time you’re on the dance floor. Put your hands on your hips and place your feet shoulder-width apart. Turn your toes out slightly and bend your knees, as if you’re sitting in a low seat behind you. Use your hands to guide your hips forward 3 times and backward 3 times. If you want to pop with your hands on your knees, get into a lower squat as you push your hips forward and backward. Once you feel comfortable with the basic booty pop, try moving to a steady beat. To learn how to do the wiggle booty pop, keep reading!

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