TikTok, a social media app for sharing short videos, has given rise to a succession of viral dance challenges that have become a defining global fad of the 2020s. Users around the world learn and perform specific, often complex, choreography to popular songs, creating a shared, participatory dance culture. The rapid-fire creation and obsolescence of these challenges reflect a new, hyper-speed iteration of the historical dance craze, deeply integrated with technology and youth culture.

TikTok dance challenges and their culture of viral, ephemeral content are increasingly being referenced in contemporary poetry that attempts to capture the fleeting nature of digital life and the anxieties of the online generation. The fad's emphasis on performance, speed, and public validation offers a rich metaphor for poets analyzing the intersection of identity, technology, and art. This phenomenon is already shaping the way poets write about community and the body in the 21st century.