Some might believe it is a montage, but it is a simple optical effect. A new dance called “jubislide” or “slickback” seems to have won over Internet users who, in recent weeks, have been increasing the number of videos in which they feature themselves. So much so that this little dance step, which consists of performing a sideways “moonwalk” while giving the impression of not touching the ground, has gone viral on TikTok.
The hashtag “slickback” alone has more than a billion views on the Chinese platform, and that of “jubislide” several hundred million. “On TikTok, the video filmed on a soccer field by Lee Hyo-cheol, a student from the city of Daegu (South Korea), has been viewed more than 200 million times since it was posted online on October 15, 2023,” reports the Asian television channel CNA.
“I swear I saw it float”
Those who practice this surprising dance literally seem to be flying above the ground. “I’m impressed”, “I swear I saw him float” or “the guy turns into Frozone In The Incredibles », we can read in comments under some videos.
The objective of this dance is to “slide as if you were walking or as if you were roller skating”, specifies an Internet user, author of a tutorial to learn how to correctly perform the movement. With varying degrees of success, many teenagers have attempted to reproduce this dance step, solo, with friends, at home or in schoolyards.
Popularized by K-pop stars
This dance is not new, however. The first appearance of this little dance step dates back to February 2022 in a video posted on TikTok by the dancer Jouerson Joseph, better known as “jubi2fye”. More than six million people have viewed his choreography, so much so that the young man has since devoted his entire account to this completely revisited “moonwalk”.
Some K-pop stars, like the group Stray Kids or Le Sserafim, have also appropriated this little sway, making it even more popular. It was even adopted by some NFL players (the American football championship) who did not hesitate to take up this dance as a victory celebration.