The Scuba Dance may be coming to a gathering near you. Here’s where it came from.
The Scuba Dance may be coming to a gathering near you. Here’s where it came from.Kate MurphyWed, August 5, 2026 at 8:34 PM UTC
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If you’ve spent any time on social media lately, you’ve probably seen some variation of the Scuba Dance — a quirky move that involves pinching or covering your nose, waving your other hand in front of your face and bouncing your knees to the beat.
What started as a niche TikTok dance has swum its way into one of the internet’s biggest trends. We’re talking “6-7” big.
From TikTok to professional and collegiate sports, the Scuba Dance has also made its way into graduation ceremonies and weddings. It might even make an appearance at the next big gathering you attend. Here’s what to know.
The Scuba Dance came from the depths of TikTok
Rapper and content creator Desean Hawk Logan-Russell, who posts under the name h5wk, is credited with creating the Scuba Dance on TikTok in October 2025. He introduced the move in a video set to his original song, “Scuba Juke (It Stankk).” The choreography mimicked a diver preparing to dive underwater, with dancers covering their noses as they moved their free hand and knees to the rhythm of the song. Over time, the choreography became known as the Scuba Dance.
How did the trend go viral?
The move’s simplicity is likely one reason it has spread across social media and beyond. Many viral dance challenges require learning lengthy choreography, while the Scuba Dance is a simple move set to a catchy song that people of all ages can learn, either solo or in a group. It also leaves room for creators to personalize it with their own moves.
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The trend went viral throughout October and November 2025 as social media creators posted videos of themselves performing it in group dances or incorporating it into TikTok challenges such as the controversial “flip camera trend.”
The Scuba Dance spread beyond social media when NFL players started using the move as a touchdown celebration dance, helping introduce it to larger audiences who may not have been active on TikTok.
In early 2026, the move saw a resurgence in popularity. At the 2026 Winter Olympic Games, U.S. figure skaters Alysa Liu and Amber Glenn and U.S. women's hockey players Laila Edwards and KK Harvey performed the Scuba Dance while showcasing their gold medals.
In March 2026, the dance also went viral through a reaction GIF of Nick Wilde, the fox protagonist from the movie Zootopia, performing it. The meme sparked arguments on social media about AI animation versus hand-drawn animation.
The Scuba Dance also made its way to the NBA this summer when Yaxel Lendeborg showcased the signature moves during the 2026 NBA draft circuit. He was selected 11th overall by the Golden State Warriors out of the University of Michigan.
Source: “AOL Entertainment”
