Why Sofia Richie dancing for 14 seconds started a trend — then a debate
Sofia Richie Grainge’s smooth moves are sweeping the internet — but was the trend intentional?
The daughter of Grammy Award-winner Lionel Richie and dancer Diane Alexander has captivated the internet with a dancing video filmed with her friend, influencer and comedian Jake Shane.
The Nov. 28 clip, which racked up over 22 million views on TikTok, seems simple — not necessarily the fodder of a trend and debate.
Yet that’s exactly what happened since the video was posted on Thanksgiving day. Here’s what to know.
What is the Sofia Richie dance?
Let’s go back to the video where it all started.
In the original video, Grainge and Shane dance to “Messy” by Lola Young. Grainge, wearing a brown long-sleeve sweater and floor-length skirt set, enters the frame and grooves to the music. The two playfully mouth the lyrics.
After going viral, Grainge’s casual dance then left the context of the original video and, as often happens on the platform, inspired more videos.
“New fave dance unlocked,” a creator wrote next to a video of her seemingly mimicking Grainge’s moves..
One user dressed similarly to Grainge and mimicked the model’s dance moves. She captioned the clip, “i just love them okay!!!!!” Another user did the dance in a fur coat. One said she was “practicing” her Sofia Richie dance in the kitchen — and another did it on the kitchen counter. Yet another did it on the streets of New York. A group of women did it at a bar: “Peak girlhood,” the caption read.
What’s the controversy?
It’s not apparent that Grainge actually intended to start a trend. TODAY.com has reached out to Grainge for comment.
Whereas other dance trends are sparked by deliberate choreography, Grainge may have been “vibing,” as one TikToker said in her her analysis. She “just has rhythm,” another TikToker said.
“So this is the dance everyone’s talking about? Just a little shimmy?” one creator said, likening Grainge’s moves to a dance you do when you’re “literally about to leave” a club.
Some people in the comments are baffled by what the fuss is all about. “Isn’t this how everyone dances?” one wrote in a roundup of videos. “I’m so confused,” said another.
A creator posted a parody video of what she thought the “Sofia Richie dance” would be, given the hype. In it, she goes through a series of exaggerated, sped-up moves. People in the comments agreed with her take. One comment read, “I was expecting a full routine” from Grainge — but maintained that the video was “cute.”
The trend demonstrates enduring Grainge’s status as “it girl,” capable of launching trends with a single shimmy. Critics also say the trend could signal the “death of originality,” as a Mamamia writer put it.
One creator summed the entire debacle up like this: “Do you guys not have rhythm? My girl was just vibing. You guys have to put a name on everything.”
