About

Alors On Danse is a dance song by Belgian rapper Stromae. In 2021, a slowed-down version of the song became popular on TikTok after it was paired with a video of a group of Black people dancing in unison to the song, leading to parodies in which a TikTok user could insert themselves in the center of the group. Controversy emerged around actress Lindsey Shaw after she expressed her distaste for the trend on TikTok, with critics claiming her dismissiveness was racist.

Origin

Alonse On Danse was released by Belgian rapper Stromae on April 28th, 2010. It has since gained over 292 million views on YouTube (shown below).

On March 21st, 2021, TikTok user @_megumiii_ posted a tribute video to the character Ace from One Piece to a slowed-down version of "Alors On Danse," gaining over 1.3 million likes (shown below, left). On June 16th, user @usimmango posted a video in which a group of Black people begin dancing in unison once the song's beat drops, gaining over 1.8 million likes (shown below, right).

Spread

Over the following months, the @usimmango's video became the source of dozens of parodies in which other TikTok users inserted themselves into the center of the group. Popular videos in the trend include a clip from Bella Poarch that gained over 4.5 million likes (shown below, left) and a clip from chivanamilena that gained over 2.3 million likes (shown below, right)

Lindsey Shaw Controversy

The clip became the center of a controversy surrounding Ned's Declassified School Survival Guide and Pretty Little Liars actress Lindsey Shaw after Shaw dismissed it in a TikTok of her own, saying, "Are we ok? What the fuck is this?" The TikTok was deleted but reposted by user @notnotcandace (shown below).

The clip rubbed some the wrong way, interpreting it as Shaw demeaning Black people. User @rafiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii posted a video mocking Shaw's TikTok, gaining over 46,000 likes (shown below, left). Shaw left a tearful series of Instagram stories,^[1] saying:

"OK, I just have to say right now that the hate in my inbox is not OK, OK? I did not mean anything in any kinda way, I am learning everyday as I think everybody is and this kind of hate just needs to evaporate from the planet no matter who it’s directed towards… Crocodile tears? No, dude, like, this is like, my soul out there. If you know anything about what I stand for or what I believe in then you know that it’s not this. I am sorry you were offended."

Shaw's Ned's Declassified co-star Devon Werkheiser offered a nuanced defense of Shaw in the controversy in a TikTok video, saying:

"If you know Lindsey personally, you know she’s a hater on all sorts of things--Black, white, brown, popular, unpopular--and can be a reactionary and defensive person…But she’s also got a good heart and is dealing with personal issues and challenges that none of you know anything about… Friends don’t get canceled in real life, and life is complicated" (shown below, right).

Various Examples

Search Interest

External References