If there’s anything that The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air has taught us over the past 25 years, both when it was on the air and now that it’s in syndication, it’s that dancing is everything.
There’s a perfect dance move for each and every occasion and moment. Seriously, just watch Will (and sometimes Carlton), and you’ll notice there’s not a single episode that doesn’t have at least one member of the Banks family cutting a rug.
If you think about it, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air is one of the best dance how-to’s out there. With so many different moves, this show can make you a dancing pro in no time. All you have to do is watch and learn. (And then, obviously, dance.)
Without further ado, here’s what we’ve learned about dancing, according to The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.
Related: Will Smith performs Fresh Prince of Bel-Air theme on The Graham Norton Show
First, you’ll want to start with something simple. Something to help you get loose.
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Heck, you can even dance it up without even leaving the couch. (Take it from someone who does this frequently…)
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Now that you’re nice and loose, start throwing your whole body into it. Make your moves concise to begin with so you can commit them to muscle memory. This is the basis of all ‘Fresh Prince of Bel-Air’ dancing!
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The best ‘Fresh Prince’ dance moves are ones that incorporate the opposite arm/opposite leg technique. Only once you master these can you move on to the more advanced moves.
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While you’re at it, be sure to add a bit of pep into your step. After all, it’s Will’s energy that makes his dancing iconic. If you want to learn from the master, you’ve gotta bounce like the master.
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Feeling that rhythm? Then let loose a bit!
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Throw some hip and some sass into it!
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Maybe some neck action too, while you’re at it.
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Make your movements as big as you want them to be. One of the most important things we ever learned from ‘The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air’ is that dancing is one of the best methods of self-expression!
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Are you feeling happy to be home after a bit of time away? Shake it!
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Did a pretty great job washing your car? Dance it out! (Hey, maybe you could even add in a few ‘wax on, wax off’ movements…
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Will Smith is a fan of the classic moves, so be sure to master a few of those as well, such as ‘The Running Man’…
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As well as dancing to ‘Apache’ by the Sugarhill Gang. You know, the ‘Tonto, jump on it!’ song!
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And you can’t forget about the ‘Carlton’! This ‘Fresh Prince’ dance move is pretty much a worldwide phenomenon.
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Seriously though. This dance move is so cool that, even though Will didn’t make it up, he’s still happy to do it from time to time.
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Wanna impress that person you’re crushing on? Try this sweet move. (I mean, just look at how much Tyra is into it…)
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This one’s a pretty good one too. It just screams ‘Look at me! Look at me!’ (It’s probably one of Will’s most successful dance moves, to be honest.)
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Lastly, ‘Fresh Prince of Bel-Air’ dance moves also teach us the importance of dancing with others. Mainly, that it’s the cool thing to do. Once you’ve got the basics down, try this.
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Also, the more you can coordinate your dance moves, the better you’ll look.
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If all else fails (or if you’re just feeling so many rhythms at once), just bounce around with a bit of swagger. You’ll still look awesome and have fun.
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Which ‘Fresh Prince of Bel-Air’ dance moves have inspired you to bust a move?
Related: Fresh Prince of Bel-Air reboot in development with Will Smith producing
