RIP Twerking: A Sentimental Eulogy

For those of you who don’t know me, I am just one of the many people affected by “twerking” and I’d like to say a few words in memoriam. We are gathered here today, to mourn and honor the end of the dance craze “twerking.” Urban Dictionary defines twerking as “the act of moving/shaking ones bottom in a circular, up-and-down, and side-to-side motion – or just tweeting at work.”

It’s been months since its worldwide debut at the 2013 VMAs. Every day since then, it’s been a non-stop twerk-off between girls and boys on both our computer and television screens. There were good times and very bad times. I remember the first time I tried to twerk, as well as the wave of shame and embarrassment that came afterward. Let us not forgot the many variations of this expressive art form, such as wall-twerking, which almost always ended in someone falling on their face. In all truth, it didn’t matter who you were, what you look like, or where you came from, twerking was something everyone (thought they) could do. I find pride in knowing I can share the memories of what it was like to live in the twerking era with my future children, and even their children too. Twerking was fun for awhile, but we must accept the fact that nothing lasts forever.

Let us take a moment to remember the girls who twerked their way to fame, fortune, or the nearest emergency room. I’ll always be able to look back on my college years and remember how they were filled with this revolutionary movement, and there are many people to thank for that.

Miley Cyrus, thank you for showing us that not everyone should twerk because no one does it quite as well as you.

My applause to Jimmy Kimmel, for fooling us with that YouTube video of that girl with the yoga pants that almost caught on fire while twerking, for reminding us that dancing comes with a price (yoga pants are expensive).

Life is short, and there is no guarantee you will twerk forever. Not only is this the end of a dance style, but an end of an era as well. We will never forget the memories, or the many vine videos of people trying to twerk. They may be brief, but those 6 second moments will live on forever. I’ll be the first to admit, twerking and I didn’t always see eye to eye (or butt to butt, I guess) but I think it’s time to bury the hatchet.

Let me end with a beautiful quote from a song called ‘Twerk It’: “I ain’t never seen it twerk like that, So when she turn around and work it, back it up and dump it, ask her who she twerkin’ for like that.” I think it’s time to put twerking to rest. Goodbye twerking, in our regrets you’ll always stay, haunted and remembered every day.

RIP Twerking.

Megan Sweet is currently a student at Michigan State University. She is an aspiring screenwriter and hopes to one day write for a comedy series. She is addicted to television, caffeine, and tweeting. A proud ginger, self-proclaimed comedian, Tina Fey enthusiast, professional fan-girl, Movie-Bomb champion, and Mean Girls fanatic. Please no more “sweet puns.” She can’t take it anymore. Check out her Buzzfeed posts (megansweet57) and follow her on Twitter & Vine: @megansweet57 .