What is the Story Behind the ‘Boots on the Floor’ Dance?

The Fourth of July weekend is upon us, which suggests folks everywhere in the nation have a motive to fireside up their grills and get their family and friends collectively for a cookout. In fact, no cookout is full with out music and line dancing. However should you’ve solely been practising your Cha Cha Slide, you’ve got obtained some work to do. As a result of this yr, everybody shall be asking “The place dem followers at?”

South Carolina native 803 Contemporary created a cookout traditional together with his hit track, “Boots on the Floor.” The infectious monitor has blown up throughout TikTok and has change into the soundtrack to a now-viral line dance cherished by folks younger and previous.

We already instructed you about one of many youngest followers, Miss Shirley, the preschooler who has amassed hundreds of thousands of followers and has change into the unofficial face of the dance. She even makes a cameo within the official music video.

Celebrities could not assist however get in on the pattern. The track obtained an enormous increase from Beyoncé, who labored the dance into her ‘Cowboy Carter’ present.

Bey’s mama Tina Knowles obtained a personal lesson from former First Girl Michelle Obama. Try the eternally FLOTUS instructing her the strikes right here:

Even former Vice President Kamala Harris obtained in on the motion.

The Story Behind the Tune

From the second you hear the primary fan pop, it is arduous to not sing together with South Carolina native 803 Contemporary’s monitor that’s closely influenced by gospel and soul. In a March 2025 interview with WIS 10, the South Carolina native mentioned the track’s lyrics have been impressed by what he noticed throughout a efficiency at his first path journey.

“I seen the dancers, that they had followers,” he mentioned. “After which I went to the subsequent path journey, and I did not see no followers. So I used to be like, ‘The place the followers at?’ and it simply went loopy.”

Contemporary added that whereas he obtained his begin singing in church, he additionally takes musical inspiration from artists like James Brown.

Doing the Dance

Whereas 803 Contemporary is the person behind the track, Georgia-based choreographer Tre Little is liable for bringing the “Boots on the Floor” line dance to life. However though his strikes are being copied by hundreds of thousands, he mentioned the entire thing was only a comfortable accident. In an interview, he mentioned he first heard the track in his yard and it made him wish to transfer. He recorded his steps (together with a second when he tripped over his personal ft), posted them on social media, and was stunned at how shortly the dance took off.

“As soon as I did it, inside every week, I gained like over 100,000 views,” he mentioned.

You possibly can try Little’s line dance tutorial earlier than hitting the cookout scene right here:

However when you study the strikes, you won’t wish to get too comfy. Singer 803 Contemporary teased new music on the horizon, saying followers of “Boots on the Floor” may discover themselves studying the strikes to a brand new line dance quickly.

“I obtained just a few extra for the road dancers, y’all simply keep tuned,” he instructed WIS 10.