The “NaeNae” Has Atlanta Dancing to a New Beat

“Huaaahhhh! NaeNae! NaeNae!” A rally cry of a new generation–and a line from a popular song. Just in case you’re not in the know, I’m here to tell you that this popular dance is called the “NaeNae.” Where might you find the dance? Just about everywhere. It has even hit  in the hallways of North Atlanta.

Teens are not the only ones loving the quirky dance: adults and celebrities have joined in for some fun. If you look on You Tube, you’ll see children and even some toddlers doing it. The “NaeNae” is traced to We Are Toonz, a group of Dekalb County high school students who also work as rap artists.

Go to YouTube and type in “Drop That NaeNae” and you, too, can be in the “NaeNae” know. The group based its moves off the character Sha Nae Nae, a character from the 90s-era sitcom “Martin.” The song has achieved recognition all over including social media sites like Vine, Twitter, and Instagram. The dance has gone viral.

It’s become the hottest dance step for high school students, collegiate athletes (we’re looking at you Mercer), and professional athletes like Dwight Howard.

Picking up the dance is easy. Just watch the video and you’ll quickly get it. At its basic elements, the dance is quite simple. You ready? It’s a one-two step with your hands simultaneously thrown up in the air. Throw in some shoulder movement for some added flourish. One group member described it as “jigging to the beat.”

“The dance is really just based on a funny ratchet girl dancing in a club setting,” said CalLamar, a We Are Toonz member.

The song is currently heating up the radio and is expected to be on the Billboard mainstream R&B & Hip-Hop charts. We Are Toonz begins a tour of Germany at the beginning of March. Not bad for some high school students, right?

In the meantime, the students at North Atlanta High School will be performing the dance in a hallway near you. So, you ready to “Nae Nae”? Get in step, or get left behind!